OVERNIGHT TECH: Patriot Act author preps Freedom Act to rein in NSA

Sensebrenner argued that legislation from Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the heads of the Intelligence committees, is “a way to provide a fig leaf” to continue the surveillance programs unchanged. 

{mosads}Sensenbrenner said Rogers has had a case of “great distemper” since the House nearly passed an amendment from Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) to defund the bulk collection. 

“We’re going to have to beat them on the floor, and we’re going to do it,” he said. 

Carper applauds Silk Road takedown: Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.) applauded law enforcement efforts that led to the takedown of Bitcoin-based, online black market Silk Road. Bitcoin’s “decentralized and pseudonymous nature also makes it an attractive tool for illicit activity,” and “Congress should also take notice and learn more about the promise and problems of this emerging technology,” he said.

Shutdown consistency needed: The U.S. government should employ “a little more rational consistency in how they implement a shutdown,” AT&T Senior Executive Vice President of Legislative Affairs Jim Ciccone said Wednesday. The inconsistent way the shutdown is affecting agencies — including the Federal Communications Committee, which has blocked access to its website —shouldn’t affect industry’s access to resources, Ciccone said, speaking at a Telecommunications Industry Association event. “It engenders a disrespect for the process when you have these sort of anomalies in the implementation.”

$20.1 billion in online ad revenue: Online advertising revenue hit $20.1 billion in the first half of 2013, according to a report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau. That’s up 18 percent from the first half of last year and includes $3 billion in mobile ad revenue, $1.3 billion in digital video ad revenue and $8.7 in search ad revenue.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Cybersecurity legislation is needed but can’t go anywhere until there is a better understanding of government surveillance programs, NSA Director Gen. Keith Alexander says.

House and Senate Intelligence committees undermine oversight measures by keeping information from other members of Congress, according to Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.).

Rep. Marsha Blackburn decried the Federal Communications Commission for being “addicted” to unnecessary regulation and said she would be introducing a bill regarding health-related mobile apps in the coming days.

Vocal government surveillance opponent Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) vowed to fight “skin-deep” reforms to surveillance programs.

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