OVERNIGHT TECH: Blackburn unveils anti-net neutrality bill

FCC contests seeks app to gauge net neutrality

The FCC is asking researchers and members of the software industry to design applications that allow users to “monitor and protect Internet openness” in an attempt to bolster the agency’s recently passed net-neutrality regulations.

The agency is calling for fixed and mobile apps that allow users to gauge Internet openness — in other words, to detect when phone and cable companies are breaching net-neutrality rules or taking what regulation proponents see as a heavy-handed approach to Internet traffic. http://bit.ly/i2wCmz

More from Vegas — CES boots up Thursday

Numerous government officials are heading to the Consumer Electronic Show in
Las Vegas this week for the world’s largest technology show. On Thursday Commerce Secretary Gary Locke will discuss the Obama administration’s efforts to double U.S. exports by 2015.

The CES is taking part in Commerce’s International Buyer Program, which
matches international buyers with U.S. companies that want to export — a
key component in reaching President Obama’s exports goal.

“We have more than 50 government officials,
two Cabinet secretaries, all four FCC commissioners, and one chairman,”
said Jason Oxman, the senior vice president for industry affairs for the
Consumer Electronics Association, which hosts the show. 

Also appearing this week will be U.S. Trade
Representative Ron Kirk. CEA bills the show to lawmakers as a chance
to see the kind of technologies their constituents are using and to meet
with top technology officials. http://bit.ly/gqnEtY

Can’t-miss news

The House Oversight Committee will post full-length, HD videos of all hearings on the Web. http://bit.ly/e8GKwx

Incoming Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) wrote to the National Association of Broadcasters and U.S. Telecom to get their input on government regulations. http://bit.ly/e8BWA6

The SEC is examining its disclosure rules for private companies in light of recent investments in Facebook involving Goldman Sachs. http://bit.ly/f8quin

Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) published an op-ed slamming net neutrality in USA Today. http://bit.ly/ftrmjw

Congress’ big day on Facebook

Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes sends along the following examples of how the 112th Congress is already proving to be the most Web-savvy to date:

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor told fans of his Facebook
page today that the 112th Congress will be a results-driven one. “We
intend to return America to opportunity, responsibility, and success,”
he said.

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer told his Facebook fans today
that his party is “committed to creating jobs, growing the economy, and
lowering the debt.” He also asked the Facebook community: “What would
you like to see us focus on in the new Congress?”

Tea Party favorite Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) shared a video
clip of his swearing in (courtesy of C-SPAN) with the 146,000+ fans of
his campaign page today.

Incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski(R-Alaska), who faced the most
difficult election of her career last year and triumphed in a write-in
campaign, shared a photo with her Facebook fans after being sworn in
today. It was a picture of her signature in the
official “Oath” of the Senate log book.

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) a former House GOP leader, posted an
audio message to his Facebook fans after being sworn in today. He vowed
to “ensure that we live in a country where the people are bigger than
the government.”