OVERNIGHT TECH: FCC chair says net neutrality rules create jobs

By Gautham Nagesh - 02/15/11 07:31 PM ET

THE LEDE: Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski will join his fellow Commission members Wednesday to testify on net neutrality in front of the House Energy and Commerce Communications Subcommittee. In prepared remarks obtained by Hillicon, Genachowski argues the FCC's net neutrality framework is a "light touch" approach that creates jobs and promotes competition among private firms without stifling innovation.

In her testimony, Republican Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker calls the FCC's move on net neutrality "the wrong policy and the wrong priority." Baker said it is the Congress' job to create a national policy and the FCC exceeded its statutory authority. Genachowski did not address the question of legal jurisdiction in his remarks, but expect Subcommittee chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) to grill him on that point Wednesday. Both have publicly said they plan to repeal the rules.

Senate Commerce tackles public safety network

The full Senate Commerce will hold a hearing Wednesday morning to discuss chairman Jay Rockefeller's (D-W.Va.) bill that would set aside the D-Block of spectrum for a national, interoperable public safety network. A number of national public safety organizations endorsed the bill on Tuesday. Witnesses set to appear include House Homeland Security Committee chairman Peter King (R-N.Y.) and Delaware Gov. Jack Markell (D).

Senate Judiciary targets online piracy: The full Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday morning examining the impact of websites dedicated to online piracy or copyright violations. Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has said he plans to re-introduce his bill from last year that would make it easier for the Department of Justice to seize domains trafficking in pirated goods.The Committee also announced Monday that a new Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law would be chaired by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), an outspoken supporter of net neutrality.

CLINTON SPEECH ON NET FREEDOM: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the U.S. government will act as venture capitalists funding technologies that allow people to circumvent Internet censorship during her speech on net freedom Tuesday at George Washington University. Clinton called the Web "the public square" of the 21st century and said keeping it free is a "foreign policy priority" for the U.S. Clinton also announced that Christopher Painter will lead the newly-created Office of the Coordinator for Cyber Issues at Foggy Bottom.

House GOP prefers antitrust approach to net neutrality

Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee expressed support for regulating broadband firms under competition law to prevent phone and cable companies from abusing their power over online content as opposed to the controversial rules passed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in December. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), chairman of the IP subcommittee, acknowledged that anticompetitive behavior by Internet providers has worried his party and not just the Democrats at a hearing on Tuesday, but said he prefers antitrust bodies be put in charge of policing ISPs.

In case you missed it today on Hillicon Valley:

FCC's Copp's calls for the government to address the decline in "real journalism."

President Obama said Twitter and social media are making it impossible to maintain power over a country via censorship.

Glenn Beck said Google is "in bed" with the Obama administration.

SCORE ONE FOR GAMERS: My colleague Sara Jerome reports Reps. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) are launching a new "E-Tech Caucus" focused on competitiveness in entertainment technology. Scheduled to be on hand at the Wednesday night launch event: Nintendo 3DS, Microsoft Kinect, and Sony PlayStations Move in 3D. No wonder it has already been dubbed the "video game" caucus.