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Enron Mail |
So LIsa---do you know if the federal bill was similiar to the Pennsylvania
one and if so, are state digital signature bills necessary? ---------------------- Forwarded by Susan M Landwehr/HOU/EES on 11/28/99 11:28 PM --------------------------- Scott Bolton @ ENRON COMMUNICATIONS 11/29/99 03:37 PM To: Susan M Landwehr/HOU/EES@EES@ENRON cc: Subject: Re: Webcasting and Congress There was a federal digital signiture bill passed this year. Susan M Landwehr@EES 11/29/99 12:56 PM To: Scott Bolton/Enron Communications@ENRON COMMUNICATIONS@ENRON cc: Sue Nord/HOU/EES@EES, Jeff Dasovich/SFO/EES@EES, Marchris Robinson/HOU/EES@EES, Lisa Yoho/HOU/EES@EES, Aleck Dadson/TOR/ECT@ECT@ENRON COMMUNICATIONS@ENRON, Cynthia Sandherr/Corp/Enron@Enron, Jeffrey Keeler/Corp/Enron@ENRON Subject: Re: Webcasting and Congress Scott--is the digital signature bill similiar to the one that Lisa Yoho told me about that is moving (or had passed) in the Pennsylvania legislature? Scott Bolton @ ENRON COMMUNICATIONS 11/28/99 01:33 PM To: Sue Nord/HOU/EES@EES, Susan M Landwehr/HOU/EES@EES, Jeff Dasovich/SFO/EES@EES, Marchris Robinson/HOU/EES@EES, Lisa Yoho/HOU/EES@EES, Aleck Dadson/TOR/ECT@ECT cc: Cynthia Sandherr/Corp/Enron@Enron, Jeffrey Keeler/Corp/Enron@ENRON Subject: Webcasting and Congress The DC office did a terrific job monitoring this ... we will need to look at what happens on internet licensing next year. ____________________________________________ Category: Webcasting Description: HEARINGS ON WEBCASTING ISSUE PLANNED NEXT YEAR Detail: From COMMUNICATIONS DAILY, November 22nd, 1999 Senate Judiciary Committee will hold hearings next year to determine whether compulsory license rules need to be changed to accommodate Internet streaming media providers, senior panel Democrat Leahy (Vt.) said Fri. Webcasting issue was one of last sticking points in reaching agreement on overall Satellite Home Viewer Act (SHVA) rewrite. Senate was due to approve SHVA, part of general appropriations bill, after our deadline Fri., following House approval on 296-135 vote late Nov. 18. Senate Majority Leader Lott (R-Miss.) after our deadline Thurs. formally put Senate on record as committing to come up with program to help provide TV service to rural areas. In response to objections from Sen. Baucus (D-Mont.) (CD Nov 19 p3), Lott produced agreement, adopted unanimously, calling for Senate to act on rural loan guarantee for DBS by March 30, even if bill hasn't been reported by one of Senate committees. In that case, either Lott or Democratic Leader Daschle (S.D.) would be able to bring straight to Senate floor legislation calling for $1.25 billion loan guarantee program that was stricken from SHVA bill to meet objections of Banking Committee Chmn. Gramm (R-Tex.). Lott said he's "absolutely determined to get this done. I will not only live up to this [agreement], but I will do so with a great deal of vigor and activity." House leaders made similar commitment. One potentially interesting question that could arise next year is which committee will produce rural loan guarantee bill. Gramm wants first shot at it through his committee, but there's some sentiment that Agriculture panel also should be included if Rural Utility Service will administer program. Senate Agriculture Committee spokesman had no comment. Leahy, also member of Agriculture and Appropriations committees, told news conference there apparently are "shifting jurisdictions" among Senate committees. He said TV viewers don't care which committee produces bill: "We tend to be pragmatic." However, he said measure eventually will come to Appropriations. One Hill staffer suggested that several committees could claim piece of rural loan guarantee, including Agriculture, Appropriations, Banking, Commerce. In that case, he said, easiest path would be to move bill directly to Senate floor. NAB Exec. Vp James May, who took part in news conference called by Hatch and Leahy to celebrate Judiciary Committee's scorecard for year, said he thinks Senate will take up bill and put it on fast track for passage. In that case, May said, chances are good senators will try to attach other issues to it. On Webcasting issue, Leahy said language added in House "raised unnecessary concerns" among Internet companies so it made sense to remove it from SHVA bill. He said committee will "hold hearings on the subject first thing next year to see if it's necessary" to change copyright law. Leahy said language excluding digital online services from cable and satellite compulsory licenses wasn't intended to make major change in law. May said Webcasting debate may give NAB chance to take another look at its policy on compulsory license. Broadcasters always have favored statutory rate while MPAA, whose members own content, want free market to decide. May said NAB may think about adopting MPAA's argument to allow broadcasters to "take advantage of marketplace opportunities" and receive payment from Internet companies for Webcast material. RIAA Pres. Hilary Rosen said it will be interesting to see how broadcasters reconcile those positions. Senate also passed dozens of bills without debate or discussion. Among those were one authorizing use of digital signatures (S-761) from Sen. Abraham (R-Mich.) and another (S-692) banning Internet gambling, sponsored by Sen. Kyl (R-Ariz.). Senate version of digital signatures bill is very close to one rejected overwhelmingly in House, which adopted more wide-ranging bill sponsored by House Commerce Committee Chmn. Bliley (R-Va.). - - Art Brodsky
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