Roy Mark

UPDATED: President Bush and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry may have sharp differences in their views on foreign policy and the economy, but when it comes to technology issues, the two hold remarkably similar views. On Thursday, Kerry unveiled a technology plan designed to promote universal and affordable broadband access. While Kerry was campaigning […]

The House Energy and Commerce Committee kept anti-spyware legislation on the fast track Thursday with a 45-4 vote approving a bill requiring that consumers be given clear and conspicuous notice prior to downloading the Web traffic tracking software. The legislation approved Thursday is an amended version of H.R. 2929, or the Securely Protect Yourself Against […]

The peer-to-peer industry’s most visible trade group blasted as “reprehensible” a new legislative proposal to allow P2P networks be sued for encouraging children and teenagers to commit copyright infringement. Late Tuesday, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) introduced the Inducing Infringement of Copyrights Act of 2004. According to Hatch, the bill permits persons or corporations to be […]

WASHINGTON — A long dormant bill amending the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to broaden consumer fair use rights gained new life Tuesday with the endorsement of House Energy and Commerce Chairman Joe Barton (R-Tex.). Introduced more than a year-and-a-half ago, the Digital Media Consumer’s Rights Act (H.R. 107) amends the DMCA to allow consumers […]

One last effort to kill a potential $10 billion deal between Accenture and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) failed Friday on a largely partisan 221-182 vote in the U.S. House of Representatives. Under the DHS contract, Bermuda-based Accenture will serve as the prime contractor on a 10-year project to deploy a biometrics-based “virtual border” […]

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a corporate tax bill Thursday afternoon loaded with provisions favorable to the technology industry, including a reduction in foreign revenue taxes and an extension of the research and development tax credit. Other pro-tech provisions include limiting double-taxation of overseas earnings and protecting employee stock purchase plans and stock option […]

WASHINGTON — Problems of waste, fraud and abuse in the federal E-rate program are likely to continue unless more resources are dedicated to oversight, the Inspector General for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) told Congress Thursday. Added to consumer telephone bills in 1997, the E-Rate charge is the nation’s $2.25 billion initiative to help schools […]

WASHINGTON — Calling for penalties of up to $3 million, a House subcommittee unanimously approved anti-spyware legislation Thursday, which requires that consumers be given clear and conspicuous notice prior to downloading the Web traffic tracking software. H.R. 2929, or the Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass Act (SPY Act), also includes provisions to prohibit unfair […]

WASHINGTON — The nation’s top technology executives weighed in on politically sensitive issues Wednesday as part of a Business Software Alliance (BSA) CEO policy forum. The executives presented a united front in supporting offshoring, stronger protection of intellectual property rights and the need for better cybersecurity, particularly in the area of government systems. The forum […]

House Republicans maneuvered Wednesday to protect a controversial $10 billion contract between the Department of Homeland Defense (DHS) and Accenture. Last week, the House Appropriations Committee voted 35-17 to prohibit DHS from granting contracts to corporations using offshore headquarters to avoid U.S. taxes. The vote came only one week after DHS awarded Bermuda-based Accenture LLP, […]

WASHINGTON — At least another two years is needed for the United States and 27 other countries to meet a congressional mandate to include biometric features in their passports, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official told a Senate panel Tuesday. The testimony came just one day after the U.S. House of Representatives approved a […]

A tax break for multinational corporations favored by the technology industry survived a contentious committee vote in the U.S. House of Representatives late Monday night and now moves to a full floor vote later this week. Part of a much broader, complex bill aimed at halting European Union (EU) trade sanctions, the measure approved by […]