OVERNIGHT TECH: Dems applaud funding boost for school Internet

THE LEDE: Democrats on Capitol Hill and education advocates hailed a $1.5 billion funding boost for a program to provide broadband Internet for schools and libraries.

The FCC voted 3-2 on Thursday to increase the cap on the E-rate program to a total of $3.9 billion per year by raising fees on phone users by about $2 a year per phone line.

{mosads}Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) called it a “historic vote” and a victory for “our children, our economy and our future.” Markey, as a member of the House, was one of the original authors of the 1996 program that is aimed at providing broadband Internet to classrooms. 

Chairman Tom Wheeler framed the issue as a moral obligation, but both Republicans on the commission called the changes wasteful and lamented the fact that their recommendations were ignored. 

Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.), the ranking member of the Commerce subcommittee on Communications and Technology, said the vote helped pull the program out of the “days of dial-up Internet.” The program went for a decade without inflation adjustments. 

“There are countless examples of the transformative impact of investing in library broadband,” the American Library Association said, while the Consortium for School Networking called it a “triumph for learning.”

The National Cable and Telecommunications Association said the FCC and Congress would have to be vigilant that the increased dollars are not thrown away: “We remain concerned that certain elements in today’s items may lead to wasteful and inefficient spending,” the trade group said. 

The president of the libertarian Tech Freedom, Berin Szoka, was even more blunt in a tweet: “Wheeler just patted himself on the back for raising taxes on poor families to bloat a program that wastes their tax dollars,” he wrote.

Wheeler hails ‘moral’ investment: FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, a former venture capitalist, on Thursday highlighted the significance of a vote to increase the cap on funding for E-rate: “I spent the last decade in the private sector as an investor. The E-rate order that we just approved is the most significant investment I have ever made in my professional life. It is an investment in the future of our children, investment in the future of our nation. I meant what I said when I described it as a moral imperative for a generation.”

Ethics reproval for Chu: The House Ethics Committee handed Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) a letter of reproval for interfering in a committee investigation of her office dating back to 2011. In one of its final acts before the Congress ends, the committee wrapped up its investigation of allegations that her office forced some staff to do campaign work in House offices, a violation of the chamber’s rules.  

The committee found that in at least one instance, senior staffers in the office advised staff to work on campaign-related material, but the committee could not tie it back to Chu herself. The committee did find that she interfered with the investigation by incorrectly advising two staffers about a campaign memo relevant to the investigation, and for initially failing to produce emails in which she discussed the memo.  

Chu has a portfolio related to tech issues. She is member of the Judiciary subcommittee on Intellectual Property and the Internet, and also cofounded the Creative Rights Caucus, which advocates for copyright protections.  

FCC close to online television rules: The FCC appears close to approving proposed rules that would treat online television the same as cable or satellite. On Thursday, Wheeler said he believes the rules “will be approved.” In late October, he called on the commission to begin drafting rules that would give online television services equal ability to negotiate and buy access to cable and broadcast channels, which they can offer customers.

“It has been on circulation,” he said. “The concept is very simple. It is very similar to what Congress did, making sure that cable programming was available for satellites for distribution. We just want to make sure that programming is on a platform-agnostic basis.”

Digital rights groups want TPP transparency: The Electronic Frontier Foundation, Creative Commons and other organizations from around the globe wrote a letter to international trade leaders on Thursday demanding additional transparency over a massive trade deal with Asia-Pacific nations. “Today, we strongly urge you to release the unbracketed text and to release the negotiating positions for text that is bracketed, now and going forwards as any future proposals are made,” they wrote. “The public has a legitimate interest in knowing what has already been decided on its behalf, and what is now at stake with our various countries.”

Patent documentary opening soon: A documentary about the fight over U.S. patent law opens in Washington and 19 other cities on Monday. “Inventing to Nowhere” focuses on Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who owns two-dozen patents, and former patent office director David Kappos, among others. 

ON TAP:

The Cato Institute is holding a daylong conference on surveillance starting at 8:30 a.m. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Google head Eric Schmidt are scheduled to speak.  

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Details are here about the vote to increase the E-rate funding cap. 

The FCC’s final meeting of the year Thursday was interrupted multiple times by protesters arguing for strict rules to enforce net neutrality.

The Supreme Court of Canada ruled on Thursday that law enforcement can search the cellphone of someone they’ve just arrested as long as the search is related to that arrest. 

The two senators from Comcast’s home state of Pennsylvania are urging regulators to approve the cable giant’s $45 billion merger proposal with Time Warner Cable.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler on Thursday said he hopes to move “quickly” on new net neutrality rules but declined to offer a specific timetable. 

Please send tips and comments to Julian Hattem, jhattem@digital-stage.thehill.comand Mario Trujillo, mtrujillo@digital-stage.thehill.com

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