President Clinton intends to renominate Susan Ness to a second term on the Federal Communications Commission. Speculation had been swirling in recent months about the White House’s intentions regarding Ness, whose five-year term expires June 30. “She has been resubmitted and she’s going through vetting right now, which is here in the Office of General Counsel. They need to clear her. Yes, she has been chosen to be renominated,”said Veronica De La Garza, special assistant to the president and associate director or personnel.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals last week ruled current restrictions on the export of encryption technology violate the First Amendment. Encryption technology is used to scramble computer data. The computer industry has been trying for years to get export controls on encryption technology relaxed, but has met resistance from the FBI and the National Security Agency. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) said, “The U.S. government should not restrict the very liberties it is supposed to be defending.” Eshoo is a co-sponsor of legislation that would relax export restrictions.
The Federal Communications Commission is expected this Thursday to issue proposed rules for the commercial spectrum blocks to be auctioned and licensed in the 746-806 MHz band. This is the spectrum expected to be returned by TV broadcasters as they convert to digital technology.
The Federal Communications Commission plans to convene three forums on the direction the agency should take in the next century. FCC Chairman William Kennard told the House telecom subcommittee in March he was preparing a five-year strategic plan that will serve as the FCC’s blueprint as it enters the next millennium. Each forum will have different groups answering the same questions listed in the FCC’s public notice. The forums are scheduled for May 20 for the industry, June 2 for consumer advocates and state and local government, and June 11 for academic and organizational experts.
An 85th birthday reception honoring former Federal Communications Commission member James Quello will be held May 12 at the Willard Hotel. Quello, a moderate Democrat appointed by President Nixon in 1974, left the FCC in 1997. A new center at Michigan State University, his alma mater, bears his name and that of his wife, Mary.
