Iran’s foreign minister said Sunday that the country will defend itself against any “war efforts” amid rising tensions with the U.S., Reuters reported.

“We will defend against any war efforts against Iran, whether it be an economic war or a military one, and we will face these efforts with strength,” Mohammad Javad Zarif said during a joint conference with his Iraqi counterpart Mohammed al-Hakim, according to the news service.

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“We are saying very clearly and honestly that we oppose the unilateral actions taken by the United States. We stand with the Islamic Republic of Iran in its position,” Hakim added.

U.S.-Iran tensions have escalated in recent weeks after the Trump administration sent a carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the Middle East amid what officials called  “troubling and escalatory indications and warnings” from Tehran that had not been publicly identified.

President TrumpDonald John TrumpPapadopoulos on AG’s new powers: ‘Trump is now on the offense’ Pelosi uses Trump to her advantage Mike Pence delivers West Point commencement address MORE said Friday that he would send about 1,500 troops to the Middle East to counter Iran’s influence.

Iran has distanced itself from reported attacks on oil tankers that have contributed to the tensions.

Trump last year pulled the U.S. out of the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal, reimposing sanctions on the country.

Iran has been highly critical of that new round of sanctions.

“We believe that escalation by the United States is unacceptable and uncalled for. We have exercised maximum restraints,” Zarif said earlier this month.

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Whistleblower Chelsea ManningChelsea Elizabeth ManningSweden takes step toward seeking Assange extradition WikiLeaks says Assange papers, manuscripts will be given to US authorities: report Chelsea Manning ordered back to jail after refusing to testify in WikiLeaks probe MORE condemned the announcement of 17 new charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian AssangeJulian Paul AssangeSweden takes step toward seeking Assange extradition WikiLeaks says Assange papers, manuscripts will be given to US authorities: report Chelsea Manning ordered back to jail after refusing to testify in WikiLeaks probe MORE, saying they indicated the law would be used as a “sword” against freedom of the press.

“I continue to accept full and sole responsibility for those disclosures in 2010,” Manning said in a statement Thursday evening. “It’s telling that the government appears to have already obtained this indictment before my contempt hearing last week. This administration describes the press as the opposition party and an enemy of the people.”

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“Today, they use the law as a sword, and have shown their willingness to bring the full power of the state against the very institution intended to shield us from such excesses.”  

Assange, who had previously been indicted for conspiracy to hack a government computer, was indicted on 17 additional felony charges Thursday, including Espionage Act violations.

The Alexandria, Va., grand jury returned the superseding indictment charging Assange with conspiring with Manning, a former Army intelligence officer, to obtain, receive and disclose “national defense information.”

Manning also said the charges indicate that her detention for refusing to answer a grand jury’s questions on Assange are “purely punitive,” as “all of the substantive questions” involved answers she already provided at her 2013 court martial.

Manning’s attorney, Moira Meltzer-Cohen, said the Justice Department has historically been hesitant to prosecute publishers of classified material.

“This signals a real shift, and sets a new precedent for the federal government’s desire to chill and even punish the vigorous exercise of the free press,” she said.

Sen. Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenDemocrats seize on IRS memo in Trump tax battle Momentum grows to create ‘Do Not Track’ registry Senate chairman says bipartisan health care package coming Thursday MORE (D-Ore.) also warned of a potential chilling effect following the superseding indictment against Assange, saying in a statement: “I am extremely concerned about the precedent this may set and potential dangers to the work of journalists and the First Amendment.”

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President TrumpDonald John TrumpFeinstein, Iranian foreign minister had dinner amid tensions: report The Hill’s Morning Report – Trump says no legislation until Dems end probes Harris readies a Phase 2 as she seeks to rejuvenate campaign MORE on Thursday boasted that he will be the guest of honor at Japan’s “biggest event” in “over 200 years” when he visits the country this weekend to meet with the prime minister and new emperor.

During an impromptu Q&A with reporters in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Trump was asked whether he believes he can work out a trade deal with Japan in the near future. The president did not answer, but played up the historic nature of his state visit.

“It’s a very big thing going on with the emperor,” Trump said. “It’s something that hasn’t happened in over 200 years. I am the guest, meaning the United States is the guest, but Prime Minister Abe said to me very specifically, ‘You are the guest of honor. There’s only one guest of honor. You are the guest of honor.'”

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“With all the countries of the world I am the guest of honor at the biggest event that they’ve had in over 200 years,” Trump said. “So it’s a great thing. And we get along very well with Japan. I get along very well with the prime minister so we’re going to be spending two days over there.”

The president will be the first foreign leader to make a state visit to Japan since the enthronement of the new emperor, Naruhito. The emperor’s father became the first monarch to abdicate the throne in more than 200 years, with a ceremony taking place at the beginning of the month.

The role of emperor is largely ceremonial, but Naruhito’s accession marks a cultural touchstone in Japan. Takehiro Shimada, minister of public affairs for the Japanese Embassy, said it was important the American president be the first state guest following the enthronement to underscore the importance of the U.S.-Japan relationship.

Policy, such as trade and negotiations with North Korea, will largely take a backseat during Trump’s weekend trip. He will play golf with Abe, the two will attend a sumo match and the president will meet with the emperor for a banquet dinner.

Trump will return to Japan in late June when the country hosts the Group of 20 summit in Osaka.

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Sen. Christopher CoonsChristopher (Chris) Andrew CoonsOil companies join blitz for carbon tax Mnuchin says carbon capture tax credit guidance will be out soon Mnuchin signals administration won’t comply with subpoena for Trump tax returns MORE (D-Del.) is looking into Amazon’s privacy and data security practices in regards to its Alexa devices, sending a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff BezosJeffrey (Jeff) Preston BezosAmazon shareholders vote down limits on facial recognition software Did Bezos just save NASA’s Project Artemis moon mission? Hillicon Valley: Facebook co-founder calls for breaking up company | Facebook pushes back | Experts study 2020 candidates to offset ‘deepfake’ threat | FCC votes to block China Mobile | Groups, lawmakers accuse Amazon of violating children’s privacy MORE on Thursday to request information.

The letter includes request for information on what type of consumer data Amazon retains and how much control customers have over it.

“The increasing popularity of in-home, Internet-connected devices and voice-activated technologies raises questions about the types of data they collect, store, and share, as well as the degree to which consumers control their personal information,” Coons wrote in the letter to Bezos.

“Companies like Amazon that offer services through these devices should address these concerns by prioritizing consumer privacy and protecting sensitive personal information,” he also wrote.

The letter is the second that Coons has sent within the last year to Amazon on its consumer data collection practices.

The letter in 2018 was sent along with former Sen. Jeff FlakeJeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeOil companies join blitz for carbon tax The Hill’s Morning Report – White House, Congress: Urgency of now around budget Jeff Daniels blasts ‘cowardice’ of Senate Republicans against Trump MORE (R-Ariz.). Amazon then responded by noting that “‘customers can review and listen to the voice recordings associated with their account in the Alexa app, and delete them individually or all at once, which also deletes them from our server.’”

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However, Coons wrote Thursday that he was “very concerned by reports that suggest that text transcriptions of these audio records are preserved indefinitely on Amazon’s servers, and users are not given the option to delete these text transcripts.”

Coons added that “the inability to delete a transcript of an audio recording renders the option to delete the recording largely inconsequential and puts users’ privacy at risk.”

Coons asked Bezos to respond to questions on the types of data that Amazon collects and stores from consumer interactions with Alexa devices and gave Bezos until June 30 to respond to his questions. 

A spokesperson for Amazon told The Hill on Thursday that the company is “reviewing the letter from the Senator,” adding that customers have options for reviewing voice recordings from Alexa devices.

“Customers have complete control over the voice recordings, and can review and delete voice recordings through the Alexa app and at www.Amazon.com/AlexaPrivacy,” the spokesperson said. “When a customer deletes a voice recording, we also delete the corresponding text transcript associated with their account from our main Alexa systems and many subsystems, and have work underway to delete it from remaining subsystems.” 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) is predicting up to 15 major storms this hurricane season, which is roughly a normal number.

The agency’s Climate Prediction Center released its forecast Thursday predicting between nine and 15 “named storms,” or storms with winds more than 39 miles per hour.

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Among those, four to eight could become hurricanes, with winds of at least 74 mph, including a forecast of two to four major hurricanes.

An average hurricane season produces 12 named storms, of which six become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes.

“With the 2019 hurricane season upon us, NOAA is leveraging cutting-edge tools to help secure Americans against the threat posed by hurricanes and tropical cyclones across both the Atlantic and Pacific,” Commerce Secretary Wilbur RossWilbur Louis RossHillicon Valley: Lawmakers seek ‘time out’ on facial recognition tech | DHS asks cybersecurity staff to volunteer for border help | Judge rules Qualcomm broke antitrust law | Bill calls for 5G national security strategy Tech gets brief reprieve from Trump’s Huawei ban Hillicon Valley: Trump takes flak for not joining anti-extremism pact | Phone carriers largely end sharing of location data | Huawei pushes back on ban | Florida lawmakers demand to learn counties hacked by Russians | Feds bust 0M cybercrime group MORE said in a statement.

“Throughout hurricane season, dedicated NOAA staff will remain on alert for any danger to American lives and communities.”

NOAA warned in its forecast that although it expects a normal hurricane season, just one can be dangerous.

“Preparing ahead of a disaster is the responsibility of all levels of government, the private sector, and the public,” said Daniel Kaniewski, deputy administrator for resilience at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “It only takes one event to devastate a community so now is the time to prepare.

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A key Senate panel is looking to move the needle on curtailing sexual assault in the military.

The Senate Armed Services Committee’s fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), released Thursday, includes numerous reforms to policies surrounding military sexual assault and harassment, including making sexual harassment a stand-alone offense in the military’s criminal justice system. 

A senior committee aide told reporters the bill asks the Pentagon to launch several studies, including taking “a harder look at alternative systems for preventing sexual assault, what have we done that can work and what can we do going forward.” 

“We are tackling the issue from every angle we can,” the aide added.

The bill includes provisions to help prevent and deal with sexual assault, including new training requirements and rules regarding victim support.

The bill would also mandate the development of a plan to create a Department of Defense-wide data management system to better share and track information on criminal cases. 

The number of cases of unwanted sexual contact — a term that covers groping to rape — jumped to 20,500 in 2018 from 14,900 in 2016, according to a Pentagon report released earlier this month.

Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) — who disclosed earlier this year that she was raped by a superior officer while she served in the Air Force — earlier this month introduced legislation to address how the military handles sexual assault claims, including making sexual harassment a stand-alone offense under the military law. That legislation has made it into the NDAA, according to a statement from McSally’s office.

“These reforms represent the voices of many who do not have the opportunity to change the system,” she said.

McSally in the past has stressed the military should keep the power to prosecute cases within the chain of command, with commanders deciding whether assault cases should go forward.

The aide told reporters that there is no move to take the decisionmaking authority away from the military, though there will be several other initiatives to influence the chain of command “in terms creating an environment where sexual harassment and sexual assault will not be tolerated.”

Other language offered by Sen. Joni ErnstJoni Kay ErnstCongress, White House near deal on spending, debt limit Trump mulling visit to ethanol refinery later this month: report Bullock: Running for Senate ‘never really got me excited’ MORE (R-Iowa), however, asks the Defense Department to study what would happen if the Pentagon were to remove commanders from considering sexual assault cases. 

A number of oil-and-gas giants are taking part in an effort to encourage lawmakers to pass a national carbon tax, splitting with industry trade groups.

The campaign brought representatives of Exxon, BP, Royal Dutch Shell and Mobil Corp. to Capitol Hill on Wednesday, part of a broader coalition involving 75 Fortune 500 companies.

The effort was the largest gathering of businesses on Capitol Hill to advocate for climate legislation in over a decade, according to Ceres, a sustainable investment group behind the effort. The companies involved jointly represent more than $2.5 trillion in market valuations and over 750,000 U.S. employees.

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The CEOs representing companies ranging from ski outfitters to dairy farmers argued that the effects of climate change were already being seen on their bottom lines. They argued a carbon price was the only market-driven route to solve U.S. emissions.

But the involvement of fossil fuel companies in pushing for a carbon tax garnered the most attention.

For those businesses, a carbon tax allowing the continued use of fossil fuels is preferable to progressive plans that seek to put tougher regulations in place or move away from using oil and gas altogether.

The involvement of fossil fuel companies in the new push is primary due to foreign based oil and gas companies who agree with the international consensus for climate action, one lobbying source told The Hill.

“Historically the refiners have been against things like a per barrel fee, a carbon tax, and a border adjustment tax on imported crude. Now you have a large push led by the foreign headquartered companies to be more forward thinking on climate matters,” the source explained.

That could also pose a challenge for larger industry trade groups, many of which have long resisted calls for a tax on carbon emissions.

One major fossil fuel group though absent from Wednesday’s lobbying blitz is the American Petroleum Institute, with over 600 members. The group has struggled with how to address the issue of climate change for its members.

“Surely an association like API knows exactly how they would craft a carbon tax if they wanted to,” the source said. “But I’m not sure how they meaningfully engage in that process with a divided membership.”

Ben Marter, API director of communications, told The Hill that the group is meeting climate change “head on” in other ways.

“Our industry is meeting the climate challenge head on, driving carbon emissions to their lowest levels in a generation. API evaluates specific legislative proposals with an eye to reducing emissions while delivering reliable and affordable energy for all American families,” he said.

Many of the fossil fuel groups that do support a carbon fee sit on the Climate Leadership Council, a group that is advocating for a $40-per-ton fee on carbon emissions that would rise over time. Under the plan, revenue would be collected by the government and redistributed back to citizens in the form of a dividend.

A new poll paid for by the Council released this week, found that 66 percent of those polled supported the Carbon Dividends plan. That includes 80 percent of Democrats and 53 percent of Republicans.

This week, BP and Shell pledged $1 million over two years each in financial support for the plan. EDF Renewables pledged $200,000.

Those moves have received praise from supportive lawmakers.

Rep. Francis RooneyLaurence (Francis) Francis RooneyHillicon Valley: Lawmakers seek ‘time out’ on facial recognition tech | DHS asks cybersecurity staff to volunteer for border help | Judge rules Qualcomm broke antitrust law | Bill calls for 5G national security strategy Oil companies join blitz for carbon tax Bipartisan House bill calls for strategy to protect 5G networks from foreign threats MORE (R-Fla.), a co-sponsor of carbon tax legislation in the House, applauded BP and Shell for donating to the council. Rooney teamed up with Rep. Ted DeutchTheodore (Ted) Eliot DeutchOil companies join blitz for carbon tax The Go-Go’s rock the stage at annual ‘We Write the Songs’ DC concert Trump-linked lobbyist holding fundraiser for House Democrat MORE (D-Fla.) to re-introduce a bill in January.

“Any and all industry support for pricing carbon is a welcome development,” Rooney told the Washington Examiner on Tuesday. “These major oil companies have important voices in the future of energy. I would also like to see these companies engage in direct advocacy for pricing carbon.”

Wednesday’s blitz on Capitol Hill highlighted the growing support among different industries for a carbon tax. Representatives of Microsoft, Pepsi, BP and others held day-long meetings with House and Senate lawmakers on both sides of the aisles to share their support.

“We’re very grateful for a lot of the work going on on a state and local level. But we need federal action to create a ton of new economic growth,” said Hugh Welsh, President of DSM North American.

“I think we can speak for all of us here that we need action on climate change from Congress and a meaningful price on carbon.”

“I’m here as a business leader. I’m here as a father of daughters who are determined to create an incredible place for future generations, and I’m here as a citizen– to put a tax on pollution and those polluting,” said Joey Bergstein, CEO of Seventh Generation. “This issue is a really urgent one. The facts are really clear and frankly indisputable.”

Among those at the Capitol was the CEO of a ski company.

“We are in the front line, in the trenches,” said Francois Goulet, CEO of Rossignol Skis. “I live in the mountains, so I witness every day the impact of climate change, and the casualties we see from loss of revenue from manufacturers and retailers.”

In Congress, Democrats have said that a carbon price is needed to fully curb the current rate of emissions in the U.S. Lawmakers have put forward a handful of bills, though none have gained serious traction.

Sen. Chris CoonsChristopher (Chris) Andrew CoonsOil companies join blitz for carbon tax Mnuchin says carbon capture tax credit guidance will be out soon Mnuchin signals administration won’t comply with subpoena for Trump tax returns MORE (D-Del.), who hosted the event with the CEOs, said climate change “is not just a threat to the future of business, but also is a real opportunity.”

Coons last year co-sponsored a bill supporting a carbon tax with former Sen. Jeff FlakeJeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeOil companies join blitz for carbon tax The Hill’s Morning Report – White House, Congress: Urgency of now around budget Jeff Daniels blasts ‘cowardice’ of Senate Republicans against Trump MORE (R-Ariz.), who retired after the last Congress.

“I think, and a number of my colleagues do, that supporting a carbon price is an intriguing and compelling solution to climate change,” he said. “I frankly think that a lot of this conversation has to be pushing back on the false choice of combating climate change and growing our economy.”

Many Republicans though remain skeptical.

“A carbon tax is not the solution to address our environmental challenges,” Rep. Kevin BradyKevin Patrick BradyDemocrats seize on IRS memo in Trump tax battle Oil companies join blitz for carbon tax Microsoft, other business leaders head to Capitol Hill in support of carbon tax MORE of Texas, ranking member on the House Ways and Means Committee, said at a hearing on carbon pricing last week.

With Republicans in control of the Senate and President TrumpDonald John TrumpFeinstein, Iranian foreign minister had dinner amid tensions: report The Hill’s Morning Report – Trump says no legislation until Dems end probes Harris readies a Phase 2 as she seeks to rejuvenate campaign MORE in the White House, the visiting CEOs acknowledged that passing a carbon tax before 2020 appears unlikely, but insisted they aren’t deterred.

“This is the answer that will be implemented once the country takes it seriously, said Jeff Eckel, CEO of Hannon Armstrong. “I’m not an optimist that government is the solution here, but that doesn’t mean we try to do things that don’t work.”

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Rep. Eric SwalwellEric Michael SwalwellCNN’s O’Rourke town hall finishes behind Fox News, MSNBC Biden retains large lead over Sanders, other 2020 Dems in new Hill-HarrisX poll Hickenlooper: Gun owners should be licensed, pass safety test MORE (D-Calif.) on Thursday became the second 2020 White House candidate to begin accepting cryptocurrency donations.

Swalwell joins fellow presidential hopeful Andrew YangAndrew YangMomentum builds behind push to pass laws enshrining abortion rights Poll: Biden is only Dem candidate that beats Trump outside of margin of error Eye-popping number of Dems: I can beat Trump MORE, who was dubbed the “bitcoin candidate” after unveiling a digital-asset platform earlier this year.

The California Democrat partnered with blockchain firm The White Company to set up a donation page paid for by his campaign. The page allows supporters to choose between six supported cryptocurrencies to use when donating. 

“Blockchain can change the world if we let it,” Swalwell said in a video posted to the website. “Is there a risk? Sure. That’s why we must test, retest and constantly monitor such systems for interference or abuses by using expert oversight.”

“We can do that,” he added. “Risk should not scare us. It’s a hurdle we can surmount. Government has to keep up with the times and the times have changed.” 

Swalwell’s cryptocurrency push comes as Yang, a tech entrepreneur, has been accepting cryptodonations for nearly a year.

Yang at a conference earlier this month said he believes blockchain “needs to be a big part of our future.”

“If I’m in the White House, oh boy are we going to have some fun in terms of the cryptocurrency community,” Yang, a long-shot candidate who has been gaining attention among tech-savvy communities, said.

Swalwell has worked on cryptocurrency issues in Congress, and last month sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) about tax rules for digital currencies.

In an email on Thursday night, a White Company spokesman asserted that its cryptocurrency solution is “faster and can accept a much wider range of cryptocurrencies” than Yang’s campaign.

U.S. regulators have called for a federal framework to oversee bitcoin in the U.S., as the cryptocurrency market is not currently subject to much oversight.

“Cryptocurrencies and digital assets have quickly grown to represent a large amount of value and economic activity,” Yang’s policy page on cryptocurrency reads. “This quick growth, however, has outstripped the government’s response.”

“It’s time for the federal government to create clear guidelines as to how cryptocurrencies/digital asset markets will be treated and regulated so that investment can proceed with all relevant information,” the policy description states.

Both Yang and Swalwell face an uphill battle in the crowded field of two dozen Democratic presidential contenders. Both candidates regularly poll between 0 and 1 percent.

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Welcome to Hillicon Valley, The Hill’s newsletter detailing all you need to know about the tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. If you don’t already, be sure to sign up for our newsletter with this LINK.

Welcome! Follow the cyber team, Olivia Beavers (@olivia_beavers) and Maggie Miller (@magmill95), and the tech team, Harper Neidig (@hneidig) and Emily Birnbaum (@birnbaum_e).

 

17 NEW CHARGES FOR ASSANGE: Justice Department officials on Thursday announced 17 additional felony charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian AssangeJulian Paul AssangeSweden takes step toward seeking Assange extradition WikiLeaks says Assange papers, manuscripts will be given to US authorities: report Chelsea Manning ordered back to jail after refusing to testify in WikiLeaks probe MORE.

A grand jury in Alexandria, Va., returned the superseding indictment charging Assange with conspiring with former Army intelligence officer Chelsea ManningChelsea Elizabeth ManningSweden takes step toward seeking Assange extradition WikiLeaks says Assange papers, manuscripts will be given to US authorities: report Chelsea Manning ordered back to jail after refusing to testify in WikiLeaks probe MORE to obtain, receive and disclose “national defense information,” in violation of the Espionage Act.

Assange is also charged with publishing a select range of the classified documents that revealed the names of low-level, local sources utilized by the U.S. government, including Afghan and Iraqi nationals, as well as journalists, human rights activists, and religious leaders.

“These alleged actions disclosed our sensitive classified information in a manner that made it available to every terrorist group, hostile foreign intelligence service and opposing military,” said John Demers, the assistant attorney general for DOJ’s national security division. “Documents relating to these disclosures were even found in the Osama bin Laden compound. This release made our adversaries stronger and more knowledgeable, and the United States less secure.”

A journalist? Demers also sought to get ahead of suggestions that the U.S. is charging Assange for publishing information, declaring that the WikiLeaks founder is “no journalist.”

“Some say Julian Assange is a journalist and that he is immune from prosecution for these actions. The department takes seriously the role of journalists in our democracy,” said Demers. “Julian Assange is no journalist.”

What’s ahead: The charges are unveiled as Assange is fighting extradition to the U.S., after he was arrested earlier this year on a conspiracy charge.

Manning has been summoned before grand juries investigating WikiLeaks twice this year in the Eastern District of Virginia but has refused to testify both times. She is currently incarcerated after a judge again ordered her to be held in contempt over her refusal to cooperate.

Read more on the new charges here.

 

MALCONTENTED: Facebook on Thursday said it removed a record 2.2 billion fake accounts from its platform in the first three months of 2019, nearly double the amount it deleted in the previous quarter.

“We’ve seen a steep increase in the creation of abusive, fake accounts on Facebook in the last six months,” the company said in its community standards enforcement report.

“We catch most of these accounts within minutes of registration. However, automated attacks have resulted in more of these accounts making it past our initial detection, which increased prevalence.”

Compared to last quarter: In the fourth quarter of 2018, Facebook removed about 1.2 billion fake accounts from the platform.

Facebook estimated that at any given time fake accounts comprise about 5 percent of its 2.4 billion monthly active users.

Other cleanup efforts: The report also illustrated the efforts Facebook has taken to enforce other content policies as well as the massive scale of abuse that the company must monitor and crack down on.

Facebook has reported a steady increase in the amount of hate speech it cracks down on. In the first quarter, it removed 4 million pieces of content it deemed had violated its prohibition against hate speech, compared with 3.3 million in the last quarter of 2018.

The social network attributes the increase to the investments it has made in artificial intelligence designed to detect hate speech.

Illegal sales: For the first time, Facebook included a section in the report detailing its efforts to eliminate the sale of guns and drugs from the platform. Between January and March, the company removed 900,000 posts violating its drug policy and 670,000 posts violating its firearms policy.

Read more on Facebook’s efforts here.

 

ROBOCALL KILLER: The Senate on Thursday voted in favor of legislation that would levy hefty new fines for illegal robocalls, advancing one of the most prominent congressional efforts to crack down on the scourge of billions of unwanted calls hitting U.S. consumers every year.

The Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act, which passed by a 97-1 vote, had received more than 80 co-sponsors by the time it reached the Senate floor.

The bill, introduced by Sens. John ThuneJohn Randolph ThuneThreat of impeachment takes oxygen out of 2019 agenda Chances for disaster aid deal slip amid immigration fight Immigration fight imperils deal on disaster aid package MORE (R-S.D.) and Ed MarkeyEdward (Ed) John MarkeySenators offer bipartisan bill to help US firms remove Huawei equipment from networks Markey releases infrastructure suggestions that align with Green New Deal goals GOP senator announces bill to block companies from tracking online activity MORE (D-Mass.), would give the federal government the authority to slap offenders with fines of up to $10,000 per call.

The legislation would also give regulators more time to find scammers, increase penalties for those who are caught, promote call authentication and blocking, and help coordinate enforcement to increase criminal prosecution of illegal robocallers.

Lawmakers during the previous Congress held three hearings and passed 13 bills aimed at curtailing robocalls, but the measure passed by the Senate on Thursday is the most significant piece of legislation to address the issue so far.

“It will make life a lot more difficult for scam artists and help ensure that more scammers face punishment for their crimes,” Thune said of the bill on the Senate floor ahead of the vote, noting he hopes the House takes it up soon.

Across the Capitol: Over in the House, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr.Frank Joseph PalloneMcConnell, Kaine introduce bill to raise tobacco purchasing age from 18 to 21 The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Pass USMCA Coalition – Restrictive state abortion laws ignite fiery 2020 debate Work on surprise medical bills goes into overdrive MORE (D-N.J.), the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, has offered his own bill to end the scourge of robocalls, signaling the lower chamber may follow its own anti-robocall legislative path.

Read more on the campaign to stop robocalls here.

 

COME FOR CYBER, ASKED TO LEAVE FOR THE BORDER: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is asking its cybersecurity-focused employees to consider taking on new roles by volunteering to help with the border crisis.

Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan told House lawmakers Wednesday that employees in the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have been asked to consider relocating to the U.S.-Mexico border, but he insisted he would not support sending “critical” cyber staff to the region.

“I am aware of the call for volunteers to help address the border crisis, just as we would do in a natural disaster. Our expectation, though, is that CISA would make risk-based decisions on the types of professionals they would free up for this kind of mission and balance against their day jobs and their current focus,” McAleenan said in a response to a question about the volunteer drive from Rep. Jim LangevinJames (Jim) R. LangevinHillicon Valley: Lawmakers seek ‘time out’ on facial recognition tech | DHS asks cybersecurity staff to volunteer for border help | Judge rules Qualcomm broke antitrust law | Bill calls for 5G national security strategy DHS suggests new role for cybersecurity staff — helping with border crisis Sen King, Rep Gallagher to chair bipartisan commission to defend US in cyberspace MORE (D-R.I.) at a Homeland Security Committee hearing on DHS’ fiscal year 2020 budget request.

McAleenan added that he would “not want the CISA leadership to deploy critical cybersecurity professionals in this role if they have mission support professionals, attorneys or others who could be spared to support this effort. We would welcome that, but that is for their management and leadership to handle.”

Another DHS official told The Hill that each DHS volunteer at the border allows an extra Customs and Border Protection or ICE agent “to perform border security duties.”

McAleenan said that regardless of which DHS agency a volunteer comes from, there will be “training for anyone who is directly engaging with migrants.”

Read more here.

 

SEARCH AND SEIZURE: Sens. Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenDemocrats seize on IRS memo in Trump tax battle Momentum grows to create ‘Do Not Track’ registry Senate chairman says bipartisan health care package coming Thursday MORE (D-Ore.) and Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulRand Paul splits with Amash on Trump impeachment The Go-Go’s rock the stage at annual ‘We Write the Songs’ DC concert GOP presses Trump to make a deal on spending MORE (R-Ky.) this week reintroduced legislation that would bar the government from searching peoples’ electronic devices at the border without a warrant.

The Protecting Data at the Border Act would bar law enforcement agencies from using a legal loophole to search the phones, laptops and other electronic devices of Americans crossing the border.

Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Jeff MerkleyJeffrey (Jeff) Alan MerkleyOvernight Energy: Park Service plans to pay full-time staff through entrance fees | Oil companies join blitz for carbon tax | Interior chief takes heat for saying he hasn’t ‘lost sleep’ over climate change Democrats grill Trump Interior chief for saying he hasn’t ‘lost sleep’ over climate change Overnight Energy: EPA watchdog finds Pruitt spent 4K on ‘excessive’ travel | Agency defends Pruitt expenses | Lawmakers push EPA to recover money | Inslee proposes spending T for green jobs MORE (D-Ore.) are co-sponsors of the bill, and Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) is set to introduce companion legislation in the House.

On the rise: A watchdog report last December found U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers searched 50 percent more electronic devices in fiscal 2017 — 29,000 devices among 397 million travelers — than they did the previous year, when they searched 18,400 devices from 390 million travelers.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) in the report concluded many of these electronic device searches were conducted improperly, without adequate supervision or adherence to preexisting policies.

Wyden and Paul in statements said the bill would bar the government from using the so-called border search exception to justify seizing Americans’ devices.  

“The border is quickly becoming a rights-free zone for Americans who travel,” Wyden said in a statement. “The government shouldn’t be able to review your whole digital life simply because you went on vacation, or had to travel for work.”

“It’s not rocket science: Require a warrant to search Americans’ electronic devices, so border agents can focus on the real security threats, not regular Americans,” the libertarian-leaning Democrat said in the statement.

Read more on the bill here.

 

DON’T BE CRYPTIC: Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) on Thursday became the second 2020 White House candidate to begin accepting cryptocurrency donations.

Swalwell joins fellow presidential hopeful Andrew YangAndrew YangMomentum builds behind push to pass laws enshrining abortion rights Poll: Biden is only Dem candidate that beats Trump outside of margin of error Eye-popping number of Dems: I can beat Trump MORE, who was dubbed the “bitcoin candidate” after unveiling a digital-asset platform earlier this year.

The California Democrat partnered with blockchain firm The White Company to set up a donation page paid for by his campaign. The page allows supporters to choose between six supported cryptocurrencies to use when donating.

“Blockchain can change the world if we let it,” Swalwell said in a video posted to the website. “Is there a risk? Sure. That’s why we must test, retest and constantly monitor such systems for interference or abuses by using expert oversight.”

“We can do that,” he added. “Risk should not scare us. It’s a hurdle we can surmount.

Government has to keep up with the times and the times have changed.”

Read more here.

 

HUAWEI READIES OPERATING SYSTEM: A top Huawei official said Thursday that the company will have its own operating system ready to replace Google and Microsoft smartphone and laptop software if permanently blocked from licensing the American products.

“Today, Huawei, we are still committed to Microsoft Windows and Google Android. But if we cannot use that, Huawei will prepare the plan B to use our own OS,” Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei’s consumer business, told CNBC.

President TrumpDonald John TrumpFeinstein, Iranian foreign minister had dinner amid tensions: report The Hill’s Morning Report – Trump says no legislation until Dems end probes Harris readies a Phase 2 as she seeks to rejuvenate campaign MORE issued an order last week that would have banned American companies from dealing with Huawei, citing national security reasons. Huawei has long faced scrutiny from the U.S. intelligence community over its alleged ties to the Chinese government.

If implemented, the order would mean Huawei would no longer be able to license the version of Google’s Android operating system it uses for its smartphones.

On Monday, the administration delayed the order, giving a 90-day license that “grants operators time to make other arrangements and the Department space to determine the appropriate long-term measures for Americans and foreign telecommunications providers that currently rely on Huawei equipment for critical services.”

Yu told CNBC if the ban is upheld, Huawei’s own operating system could be ready by the fourth quarter of this year, with a version for its markets outside of China available in either the first or second quarter of 2020.

He stressed that Huawei would only roll out the system if it was permanently banned from using Google or Microsoft products.

“We don’t want to do this but we will be forced to do that because of the U.S. government. I think the U.S., this kind of thing, will also not only be bad news for us, but also bad news for the U.S. companies because we support the U.S. business, so we will be forced to do this on our own,” Yu said. “We don’t want to do this but we have no other solution, no other choice.”

Read more here.

 

SENATE DIVES INTO 5G: A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation Wednesday to help U.S. firms remove Chinese telecom equipment from companies like Huawei if it’s deemed a national security threat.

The legislation would require fifth generation, or 5G, wireless networks be free of equipment or services provided by Chinese telecommunications companies Huawei and ZTE. It also would establish a “supply chain trust fund” program to help U.S. firms remove Huawei equipment from their networks.

The measure would require the establishment of an “interagency program,” led by the Department of Homeland Security, to share information with communications companies on risks and vulnerabilities of networks.

The bill was introduced by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger WickerRoger Frederick WickerSenators offer bipartisan bill to help US firms remove Huawei equipment from networks Momentum grows to create ‘Do Not Track’ registry Senate Republicans running away from Alabama abortion law MORE (R-Miss.), Senate Intelligence Committee ranking member Mark WarnerMark Robert WarnerSenators offer bipartisan bill to help US firms remove Huawei equipment from networks DOJ plans to show Senate Intel less-redacted Mueller report, filing shows Bipartisan House bill calls for strategy to protect 5G networks from foreign threats MORE (D-Va.) and Sen. Tom CottonThomas (Tom) Bryant CottonSenators offer bipartisan bill to help US firms remove Huawei equipment from networks GOP senator: Supreme Court abortion cases were ‘wrongly decided as a constitutional matter’ Senate confirms controversial 9th Circuit pick without blue slips MORE (R-Ark.), with Sens. Ed Markey(D-Mass.) and Dan SullivanDaniel Scott SullivanSenators offer bipartisan bill to help US firms remove Huawei equipment from networks Senators introduce bill to prevent border agency from selling personal data Embattled senators fill coffers ahead of 2020 MORE (R-Alaska) as co-sponsors.

Wicker, whose committee has examined 5G security in the recent months, said in a statement that “5G networks need to be robust and secure, and not rely on equipment or services that pose a national security risk.”

Read more on the bill here.

 

HER MAJESTY’S CYBER CENTERS: The United Kingdom is preparing to invest 22 million pounds, the equivalent of almost $28 million, to open new cyber operation centers.

The cybersecurity centers will provide the British Army with 24/7 information and analyses on cyber threats and will also aim to give both the British military and allies intelligence on emerging threats. The centers have not yet been built, which will begin early next year, with operations to start in the early 2020s.

“Cyber enemies think they can act with impunity. We must show them they can’t,” Mordaunt says in prepared remarks. “That we are ready to respond at a time and place of our choosing in any domain, not just the virtual world.”

Read more here.

 

AN OP-ED TO CHEW ON: The FCC can save lives on roadways.

 

A LIGHTER CLICK: It’s actually pretty cute.

 

NOTABLE LINKS FROM AROUND THE WEB:

Snapchat employees abused user data. (Vice News)

Amazon creating a wearable device that could detect human emotion. (Bloomberg)

Equifax becomes the first company to have its outlook downgraded due to cyberattack (CNBC)

How China uses high-tech surveillance to subdue minorities. (The New York Times)

Google’s secret ‘trashy video’ AI cleans up YouTube homepage. (Bloomberg)

Head of NOAA says 5G deployment could set weather forecasts back 40 years. The wireless industry denies it. (The Washington Post)

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The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday agreed to an accelerated schedule for the next round of legal battles between the House Oversight and Reform Committee and President TrumpDonald John TrumpFeinstein, Iranian foreign minister had dinner amid tensions: report The Hill’s Morning Report – Trump says no legislation until Dems end probes Harris readies a Phase 2 as she seeks to rejuvenate campaign MORE over obtaining the president’s financial records.

A three-judge panel on the appeals court will hear oral arguments on July 12 to determine whether the accounting firm Mazars can hand over Trump’s financial records to House Democrats.

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The court also set a series of deadlines spanning June and July for parties to submit filings arguing their positions in the case.

The order comes one day after lawyers for Trump and House Democrats jointly asked the appeals court to set the expedited schedule for the case.

District Judge Amit Mehta, an Obama appointee, ruled in a D.C. court earlier this week to uphold the subpoena to Mazars for the president’s financial records.

But the joint motion filed on Wednesday indicated that Mazars has agreed to not supply the documents until the appeals court makes its ruling.

Trump also suffered a blow in federal court in New York on Thursday, when a judge rejected the president’s attempt to halt subpoenas issued to Deutsche Bank and Capital One for Trump’s financial records.