Lawmakers to probe broadband, privacy, cybersecurity

Next week is shaping up to be a busy one for the tech industry on the Hill, with at least four hearings slated to examine a variety of issues, some with bills attached, others with legislation still being drafted.

Tuesday morning kicks off the festivities. Then, the House Energy and Commerce Committee is set to consider a bill the Universal Service Reform Act, a measure introduced by Rick Boucher (D-Va.) and Lee Terry (R-Neb.) that would revamp the fund the FCC administers to subsidize phone service for low-income Americans to include broadband.

Boucher and Terry's bill revisits legislation they had introduced in previous sessions of Congress, and follows a similar USF reform bill authored by Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) earlier this year.

At the same time, and the other side of the Capitol complex, members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are set to take up cybersecurity, specifically looking into the terrorist threat. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) is scheduled to chair the panel, which has lined up officials from the Department of Justice, FBI, NSA and Department of Homeland Security to testify.