The House approved the Senate version of the E-Label Act (S-2583) Thursday by unanimous voice vote. It had already approved its own companion version of the legislation. The bill would let device manufacturers include a required FCC label digitally rather than on the physical device. The legislation now advances for White House signature to become law. “I am confident the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology will do a great job updating our labeling rules," said bill author Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., in a statement after House approval. TIA praised the passage. “The current FCC requirement for manufacturers to either etch or print mandatory regulatory markings on the exterior of devices unnecessarily increases costs, limits design options and ineffectively conveys important information to consumers, especially as many devices become smaller,” TIA CEO Scott Belcher said in a statement. “By updating device labeling requirements, the E-LABEL Act will enhance the ability of our manufacturers to compete while also increasing access to consumer information.” FCC commissioners Ajit Pai and Jessica Rosenworcel have also backed the measure.
Large and mid-sized cable operators and their associations are concerned about the Communications Act Title II broadband reclassification that President Barack Obama sought Monday (see 1411100035), they continued to say in written statements and blog posts. Forbearing from Title II regulations, as that approach would entail, "is Easier Said than Done," said the headline of an NCTA blog post Wednesday. It cited "the history of forbearance petitions." Executive Vice President David Cohen headlined his blog post Tuesday "Surprise!" which he said some would be that Comcast agrees with Obama's principles on net neutrality. "There is one important technical legal difference of opinion between the President and Comcast: we do not support reclassification of broadband as a telecommunications service under Title II," wrote Cohen. "Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act provides more than ample authority to impose those rules." The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit's January ruling against FCC net neutrality rules "made clear" that distinction, he said. Time Warner Cable "remains committed to an open Internet, but we disagree with the President’s statement that an open Internet can only be achieved by reclassifying broadband as a public utility," said CEO Rob Marcus in a Monday news release. Comcast has agreed to buy TWC, and some analysts and industry lawyers have speculated that the deal may be less likely to be completed if the FCC takes a Title II approach. Like Obama, Suddenlink backs an open Internet, said CEO Jerry Kent in an emailed statement. "Unfortunately, the President has proposed a 'solution' in search of a problem. There is no blocking of legal content by ISP’s and no paid prioritization with respect to broadband Internet access." Obama's "call for the FCC to impose heavy-handed government regulation under Title II on Internet service providers, like Mediacom, is politically motivated and ill-conceived," said CEO Rocco Commisso Wednesday. Smaller ISPs don't threaten the open Internet, and their subscribers "have long benefited from the government’s light touch in applying regulation to broadband," said American Cable Association CEO Matt Polka Monday. “Common carrier regulation of telephone service crafted in 1934 under President Franklin Roosevelt should not be applied to a thriving, bustling broadband Internet market in 2014 under President Barack Obama."
The White House lent campaign help to Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., in his re-election bid for the 17th Congressional District seat. “Barack and I are counting on you to support Mike Honda and the Democratic ticket this November 4,” first lady Michelle Obama said in a call to voters that the Honda campaign released Thursday. “In an election this close, your vote is more important than ever before. We can’t risk having more out-of-touch folks coming to Congress just because a handful of Democratic voters stayed home.” Honda, a veteran lawmaker on the Appropriations Committee, is facing a fellow Democratic candidate next week -- Ro Khanna, an attorney who was deputy assistant secretary of commerce during Obama’s first term. Khanna has attracted the backing of many tech heavyweights in the Silicon Valley district that Honda has long represented. In their one debate, Khanna attacked Honda for not reaching across the aisle to Republicans and said he would (see 1410080037). Honda and Khanna align on many tech and telecom policy issues, such as backing strong net neutrality rules and urging overhaul of government surveillance policies. Earlier this month, the Honda campaign slammed Khanna for attacking Honda’s liberalism.