OVERNIGHT TECH: FCC to combat robocalls in February

Baer leads list to head DOJ’s antitrust division: The leading candidate to replace acting DOJ antitrust chief Sharis Pozen is Arnold & Porter antitrust
group head Willliam Baer, who previously served as the director of the
Federal Trade Commission’s Competition Bureau. Pozen announced her resignation on Monday effective April 30. Baer is reportedly being
vetted for the position by the Obama administration; also on the short
list are Antitrust Division special adviser Leslie Overton and Senate
Antitrust subpanel general counsel Seth Bloom.

House Energy and Commerce chairman pushes back on State of the Union: House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) took issue with President Obama’s call during his State of
the Union address to invest in expanding Internet access. Upton argued that if Obama is serious about spurring innovation, he
should relax regulations rather than spending more on infrastructure. He criticized the Federal Communications Commission in particular for “protecting its turf” instead of freeing up airwaves for new communications networks.

ON TAP THURSDAY:

{mosads}The National Cyber Security Alliance will celebrate Data Privacy Day by hosting a forum on the intersection of privacy and security Thursday morning at The George Washington University School of Law.

The event will feature a keynote from Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Julie Brill.

The Minority Media and Telecommunications Council Broadband and Social Justice Policy Summit, starting Thursday at the Westin Georgetown hotel, will feature FCC Commissioners Robert McDowell
and Mignon Clyburn, Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) and White House Chief Technology Officer Aneesh
Chopra, among others.

ICYMI: 

Netflix will testify at next Tuesday’s hearing on a law that bars video providers from sharing users’ rental history.

House telecom subpanel Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) said he plans to hold a hearing on the LightSquared issue.

Walden also expects the full Energy and Commerce committee to mark up his FCC process reform legislation on Feb. 7.

The chairmen of the Senate Homeland Security and Commerce Committees echoed President Obama’s call to pass cybersecurity legislation.

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