Roy Mark

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D.-Wash.) told an IT industry group Thursday that the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), a $6.6 billion federal job training program that is up for reauthorization this year, needs to put greater emphasis on New Economy skills such as IT training. Originally authorized in 1998, the WIA operates primarily through state Workforce […]

Momentum for a bill aimed at prohibiting U.S.-based banks, credit card companies and other Internet payment systems from making payments to Internet gambling sites slowed considerably Wednesday when the House Judiciary Committee voted to modify the legislation and dim its prospects for passage. On a narrow 16-15 vote, the committee approved an amendment by Rep. […]

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D.-Fla.) is the latest lawmaker to file anti-spam legislation, introducing a bill Tuesday that would use the civil Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) to crack down on what Nelson calls the worst of e-mail Internet solicitations — spam sent by people seeking money illegally or engaged in other […]

The Bush administration has directed federal agencies to rely more heavily on private satellite companies to provide images from space. Known as the U.S. Commercial Remote Sensing Space Policy, the White House Tuesday issued the directive as the first product of the ongoing National Space Policy Review. Last year, the administration began a broad review […]

When the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) passed rules more than a year ago classifying broadband via cable modem as an “information service,” a legal challenge was promised and, late last week in a Seattle courtroom, the battle was joined. The March 2002 FCC decision freed the cable industry from regulations that typically are applied to […]

Reps. W.J. “Billy” Tauzin (R.-La.) and F. James Sensenbrenner (R.-Wis.) are preparing to introduce junk e-mail legislation that provides a measure of consumer protection from spam but mostly favors businesses that want to continue to exploit the advertising potential of mass e-mails. According to a draft copy of the bill obtained by The Washington Post, […]

A Web site operator and e-mail marketer charged with fraudulently raising more than $100,000 by falsely guaranteeing double-digit, insured monthly returns on three websites and in approximately nine million spam e-mail messages has agreed to settle with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Without admitting or denying the allegations made by the SEC, K.C. Smith, […]

The Department of Defense’s (DOD) $28 billion fiscal 2004 IT budget number hit a funding stumbling block Friday when a House Armed Services subcommittee voted to cut $2 billion from the request. Rep. Jim Saxton (R.-N.J.), chairman of the Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities subcommittee, said the panel was concerned about how well the DOD […]

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is seeking a temporary restraining order against a Novato, Calif.-based Web site operator to immediately stop making deceptive claims that consumers can pre-register with the FTC’s national telemarketing “Do Not Call” registry. The FTC filed the complaint against Ken Chase, doing business as Free Do Not Call List.org and National […]

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have warned more than 40 Web site operators to immediately cease and desist offering products that purport to protect against, prevent or treat Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The warning letters say neither the FTC nor the FDA are aware of any scientific […]

WASHINGTON — School and library officials speaking at a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Thursday placed the blame for fraud and waste in the FCC’s troubled E-rate program on vendors, consultants and complicated government procedures. One of the program’s largest vendors, BellSouth, said the program needs tougher rules to eliminate opportunities for schools to “game the […]

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reached a settlement with Comstar Communications, Inc., and its president, Randall A. Carasco, who marketed and sold cell phone radiation protection patches through television, radio and Internet advertising. The defendants allegedly claimed that their products could block up to 99 percent of radiation and other electromagnetic energy emitted by […]