Government Energy Policy, Business and Technology

Energy and Commerce Panel Advances Eight Tech Bills

Morning Consult: The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved eight tech-related bills Thursday at the end of a three-day marathon voting session. Most of the tech bills are relatively uncontroversial. One bill would create competitions to accelerate the development of technology to improve spectrum efficiency, while another measure would require any multi-line telephone system (like those in schools or hospitals) to connect directly to 911 even if the system normally requires a user to dial “9.” FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai wrote a letter to subcommittee leaders on April 12 supporting that measure. The Senate Commerce Committee included a similar provision in the FCC Reauthorization Act that passed the committee on a voice vote Wednesday.

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