Overnight Tech: Sparks fly at FCC oversight hearing | House panel to review robocall law | Regulators recall Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phone

LEDE: Charges of partisanship were flying across the aisle at today’s Senate Commerce Committee FCC oversight hearing.

First, it was largely the theme of Chairman John Thune’s (R-S.D.) opening statement — where he blasted FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s style of leadership, saying it led to far more party-line open meeting votes. “My concern is, and I’m wondering what your view on this is, is whether that approach could lead to a destabilizing and endless cycle of regulatory uncertainty,” he said to Wheeler. He also said that Wheeler’s style could “undermine the credibility of the agency now and into the future.” Wheeler responded that the commission had taken a large number of lower-profile bipartisan votes and said the agency “is a collegial body.”

{mosads}Then it was ranking Democrat Sen. Bill Nelson’s (D-Fla.) turn. He used his allotted time for questions to blast Republican Commissioner Michael O’Rielly for seemingly partisan statements he’s made in the past. He first took issue with O’Rielly’s observation that a vote had reminded him “of an old phrase on Capitol Hill, ‘Never count on a Democrat to hold their vote.’ ” Nelson asked him, “when I hear comments like that made publicly in which you in effect insult every Democratic member of the Senate, then I wonder how is this going to bring about consensus and attempts at unanimity.” O’Rielly responded that it “wasn’t my comment, I was repeating something that was repeatedly said by many of my employers of the years,” O’Rielly said. He said that he was frustrated by having a deal on the table on an item at the commission that fell apart at the last minute.

ROSENWORCEL NOMINATION AT CENTER STAGE: There was also some discussion on the stalled renomination of Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel. Nelson waxed nostalgic about earlier days in the Senate, when he said that the delay in her confirmation wouldn’t have been tolerated. “Where have those days gone, and why do we still sit around and wait for the confirmation of Ms. Rosenworcel?” he said. Thune also took a shot at Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) for holding up legislation important to committee Republicans.

At the hearing, Rosenworcel also expressed doubts on the agency’s plan to shake up the television box market.

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EXAMINING ROBOCALL LAW: The tech subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee announced that it will be holding a hearing on September 22nd on the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). The TCPA was enacted in 1991, and lawmakers now want to go back and assess its value now, after the changes in technology over the last two decades. “As technology evolves, so too should our laws. The TCPA should be ensuring Americans receive the calls they want without being harassed by calls they don’t. Instead, it’s a prime example of an outdated law that lags behind modern communications technology and consumer preferences,” said Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) in a press release. Democrats had issued an earlier request for a hearing.

TECH ADVOCACY IS PLEASED: The tech advocacy group, The IT Alliance for Public Sector (ITAPS), whose membership includes, Intel, Amazon and Microsoft among many other tech heavyweights voiced its support for The Modernizing Government Technology Act of 2016. The bill was approved Thursday by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The bill is intended to help federal agencies upgrade outdated tech and telecom systems. “We believe that the bill creates the opportunity for agencies to effectively fund their IT needs for cloud computing, IT modernization, cybersecurity, and future information technology development,” the group said in a letter addressed to top lawmakers. The funding the bill calls for could be used “for technology related activities, to improve information technology, to enhance cybersecurity across the Federal Government.” Click here for more on the bill.

BLOCKCHAINZ: Ripple is a little bit different than most cross-border payment systems. The startup that uses a blockchain — the same technology that powers bitcoin — to make cross-border payments for banks, raised $55 million in second round funding, Reuters reports. The company has raised a total of $93 million over the last couple years and touts Silicon Valley heavyweights like GV (formerly Google Ventures) and Andreessen Horowitz among its investors. According to the company, cross-border payments on Ripple take five seconds as opposed to the current three to five days that they usually do. Ripple’s network currently includes 15 of the top 50 global banks.

DEATH AND TAXES FOR MULTINATIONALS: After last month’s European Union ruling that Apple had to pay Ireland $14.5 billion in back taxes after receiving allegedly-unfair state aid, The Obama administration is limiting foreign tax credits, according to Reuters. “We are closing another tax loophole that contributes to the erosion of our tax base,” said Treasury Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy Mark Mazur in a statement. U.S. government officials had previously expressed distaste for the EU ruling on Apple, saying that it would also cost them substantial amounts of tax money that Apple may have otherwise paid to the U.S.

APPLE PICKS UP TIME WARNER EXEC: An Apple spokesperson confirmed that the company has hired former Time Warner executive, Peter Stern. According to the Wall Street Journal, Stern will work for Apple as vice president working on cloud services, overseeing the company’s subscription services like Apple Music. Some have speculated, but not confirmed, that Stern could be part of a move by Apple to break into video streaming. Stern has been a vocal opponent of abandoning set-top-boxes and advocated for app-based TV services which could make him a good fit for the tech company.

ON TAP:

A 9:00 a.m. the FAA will hold its first Drone Advisory Committee meeting.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Here’s what you missed if you were busy mailing your Note 7 back to Samsung.

Lawmakers are suspicious of a Chinese purchase of several U.S. tech and telecom firms. Sixteen members of Congress signed on to a letter asking a review board to assess the purchase more closely.

Samsung issued a recall on around 1 million units of its Note 7 phone over concerns of the phone’s lithium Ion battery catching fire or exploding.

The FCC slapped down some more fines over long distance carriers targeting and misleading consumers.

Facebook is going be helping out with the 2016 Presidential debates. The company will serve as a conduit, sourcing questions for the debates.