Technology

The House next week is expected to pass a resolution establishing a nationwide technology contest for students, which would initially encourage contestants to develop new "apps" for smartphones and tablets.

The resolution from Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.) is scheduled for consideration next week. It would create a contest run by the House of Representatives in which students from every congressional district would compete in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, the so-called STEM fields.

Marco Rubio called reforms to the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) program "a net positive for our economy."

Rep. Jim Matheson's (D-Utah) bill would restrict sales of games with an "adults only" or "mature" rating.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced a bill Thursday that would ensure Internet Service Providers (ISPs) aren’t capping the amount of data people can use in order to drive up costs.

“As the Internet becomes increasingly important to American consumers, businesses and innovators, Internet Service Providers, or ISPs, are increasingly imposing caps on the amount of data that consumers may move over the Net,” Wyden said when introducing the bill. “Unfortunately, because of a lack of competition in Internet broadband services, the imposition of data caps raises a public policy concern.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) tried to bring up the bill reauthorizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), but a Republican objected.

“FISA, this is an important piece of legislation as imperfect as it is, it is necessary to protect us from the evil in this world,” Reid said on the floor Tuesday evening. “We need to finish this by the end of the week.”

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) tried to pass the STEM Jobs Act on Wednesday, but Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) objected.

The House passed the STEM Jobs Act last month, which would designate 55,000 green card visas for immigrants in U.S colleges studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

The 397-0 vote sends a signal to participants discussing a global telecommunications treaty at a closed-door conference this week.

Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) said legislation granting more visas to high-skilled workers would shut out racial groups from low-immigration countries.

The House will likely vote next week on a bill that would increase the number of green cards available to people with advanced degrees in science, math and technology.

The House Rules Committee is set to look at H.R. 6429, the STEM Jobs Act, which would allow the spouses and children of legal residents to come to the United States while they wait for their green cards. 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Thursday that he hopes cybersecurity legislation is brought up again in the Senate.

McConnell said he opposed a cloture motion on the Cybersecurity Act, S. 3414, Wednesday night because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wouldn’t allow an open amendment process. Reid had said he’d allow a “finite” number of Republican amendments.