Two top Democratic lawmakers on the House Transportation Committee are seeking answers from Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following production issues with the Boeing 737 Max and 787 Dreamliner jets.

Committee Chairman Peter DeFazioPeter Anthony DeFazioDemocrats seek answers from Boeing, FAA after production issues with 737 Max, Dreamliner jets Hillicon Valley: Global cybersecurity leaders say they feel unprepared for attack | Senate Commerce Committee advances Biden’s FTC nominee Lina Khan | Senate panel approves bill that would invest billions in tech Top Democrat: FCC actions are a ‘potential setback’ to autonomous vehicles MORE (D-Ore.) and Rep. Rick LarsenRichard (Rick) Ray LarsenDemocrats seek answers from Boeing, FAA after production issues with 737 Max, Dreamliner jets Democrats debate fast-track for infrastructure package LIVE COVERAGE: House votes to name Speaker MORE (D-Wash.), chairman of the Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation, said in a statement that they are seeking records amid recent reports of electrical problems, foreign objects in debris of newly manufactured aircrafts and other quality control issues.

The lawmakers specifically said they were seeking records regarding “continued issues with the manufacture and production of Boeing commercial aircraft at facilities in both Washington state and South Carolina.”

ADVERTISEMENT

A spokesperson for Boeing told The Hill that it received a letter from the lawmakers and is reviewing it.

The FAA told The Hill in a statement “We are reviewing Chair DeFazio’s and Rep. Larsen’s request and will make every effort to respond to them as quickly and completely as possible.”

The letter comes roughly one month after Boeing and the FAA asked more than a dozen airlines to remove more than 100 737 Max jets from service over a potential electrical issue.

United Airlines, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines all removed the aircraft from service at the company’s request. Boeing said last week that the FAA approved a fix for the problem, CNBC reported at the time.

In March, the FAA said it was inspecting four Boeing Dreamliners after the company reported production issues with the jets in September.

DeFazio and Larsen initially began investigating in April 2019, one month after Boeing grounded all flights on the 737 Max jet after a pair of crashes killed 346 people total.

ADVERTISEMENT

Click Here: wests tigers shirt

Their report, released in September, found “repeated and serious failures by both The Boeing Company (Boeing) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) during the 737 Max’s design process.”

The FAA cleared the aircraft for service in November.

Updated: 6 p.m.

An Israeli airstrike on Monday damaged the only laboratory in Gaza capable of processing COVID-19 tests, effectively halting coronavirus testing in the region.

The New York Times reports that the airstrike targeted a different building in Gaza City, across the street from the lab. Debris and shrapnel from the strike flew across the street and damaged the lab.

The offices of the Hamas-run Health Ministry were also damaged by the blast, according to the ministry’s Director of Preventive Medicine Majdi Dhair. Dhair told the Times that one ministry employee had been severely injured and hospitalized after a piece of shrapnel struck him in the head.

ADVERTISEMENT

“This attack was barbaric,” Dhair said. “There’s no way to justify it.”

Dhair told the outlet that he believes the equipment inside the lab to still be functional, but said it would take at least a day to clean and prepare the lab for any COVID-19 testing. Until the lab is prepared, medical teams will stop administering coronavirus tests, Dhair said.

Tests for HIV, hepatitis C and other conditions will also not be available while the lab is unable to operate. Only around 2 percent of Gaza’s population is fully vaccinated, the Times reports, a stark contrast to Israel where 56 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated.

Matthias Schmale, the United Nations director of operations for Gaza, noted that schools where unvaccinated Palestinian civilians have gathered could potentially become “mass spreaders” of the virus, the Times reported.

Click Here: soccer tracksuits

Amazon will discontinue its Prime Now delivery app and website to integrate the feature onto its main platform, the company said Friday. 

Users will be able to get the same service from Prime Now, with deliveries of certain goods and groceries within hours, on the regular Amazon site once the separate app is shut down later this year, Amazon’s vice president of grocery, Stephanie Landry, said in a blog post. 

The e-commerce giant first debuted Prime Now in 2014. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Click Here: Malaysia Rugby Shop

“To make this experience even more seamless for customers, we are moving the experience from a separate Prime Now app onto the Amazon app and website so customers can shop all Amazon has to offer from one convenient location,” Landry said. 

The two-hour delivery from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market have already been available in the U.S. on Amazon since 2019, and the Prime Now app has been retired in Indian, Japan and Singapore, according to the company. 

Third-party partners and local stores will be moved to the Amazon platform before the Prime Now app and website are retired globally, Landry said.

C’est une nouvelle très inattendue.

Ce 15 juillet 2019 au matin, l’ex-porte-parole de Laurent Wauquiez et figure des Républicains Laurence Sailliet a indiqué sur Twitter qu’elle démissionnait de son parti politique afin de devenir chroniqueuse télé sur C8 auprès de Cyril Hanouna.

“Je démissionne de toutes mes fonctions au sein des Républicains. Engagée depuis 2002, membre du bureau politique depuis 2011, de l’équipe dirigeante depuis décembre 2017 et porte-parole depuis cette même date, j’ai toujours oeuvré avec sincérité et conviction pour ma famille politique. (…) Je remercie chaleureusement ceux qui m’ont permis d’agir en m’accordant leur confiance, particulièrement Laurent Wauquiez, qui m’a nommée porte-parole“, a-t-elle tout d’abord écrit dans un communiqué de presse. Puis désireuse d’évoquer la suite de sa carrière, l’ex-femme politique a révélé : “C’est une page qui se tourne, un nouveau chapitre de ma vie qui s’ouvre. À partir de septembre, j’interviendrai dans les médias en tant qu’éditorialiste et chroniqueuse. À ce titre, je suis très heureuse de rejoindre l’équipe de Cyril Hanouna dans Balance ton post. Libre de ma pensée et dorénavant libre de ma parole, j’aborde cette nouvelle expérience avec un grand enthousiasme.”

Click Here: lions rugby jersey

Évidemment, cette reconversion a fait grincer quelques dents. La secrétaire d’État Marlène Schiappa, qui avait essuyé de nombreuses critiques en participant à un numéro spécial de Balance ton post lors de la crise des Gilets jaunes, a notamment réagi : “Après que Les Républicains m’ont vouée aux gémonies pendant des mois avec un mépris et une méchanceté sans nom pour avoir osé participer à 1 émission de Cyril Hanouna dans le cadre du grand débat national, leur porte-parole en devient chroniqueuse permanente.” Et d’ajouter, plus positive : “Je lui souhaite bonne route dans cette expérience et un peu plus de bienveillance de ses camarades.”

De son côté, Cyril Hanouna s’est dit “très heureux” d’accueillir Laurence Sailliet dans Balance ton post à la rentrée prochaine.

Low-cost commercial airliner JetBlue announced Wednesday that it would expand to London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports, with flights set to begin in August.

A news release from the company said that initial nonstop service to the two airports would be from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, beginning Aug. 11 with flights to Heathrow and expanding to Gatwick in late September.

The second U.S.-London JetBlue connection will go into service next year, the company added, with flights from Boston to London set to begin in the summer of 2022.

ADVERTISEMENT

Click Here: cheap dragons jersey

“JFK-LHR, the single largest international air travel market from the US, has long suffered from outrageously high fares for far too long, especially in premium cabins. We’re ready to change that with a price point and experience that will impress even the most discerning transatlantic flyers,” said JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes.

“We’ve always said that JetBlue would serve multiple London airports, and we’re pleased to have secured a path at Heathrow and for long-term growth at Gatwick, which offers speed, low costs, and convenient accessibility into Central London,” Hayes continued.

U.S.-based travelers can already begin purchasing tickets on JetBlue flights to London, with round-trip tickets beginning at $599.

Nonessential travel between the U.S. and Europe was suspended amid the coronavirus pandemic, though the head of the European Commission said last month that that will change this summer for vaccinated travelers.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) called for more COVID-19 vaccines to be sent to Africa, warning that the continent risks severely lagging behind the rest of the world in terms of recovering from the pandemic as a result of lack of access to vaccines.

The council met on Wednesday, summoned by member-state China, and released a joint statement calling for “increased and accelerated donation of safe and effective vaccine doses from developed economies” to African countries that have been worst-hit by the virus.

Delegates “reiterated the need to enable equitable access to quality, safe, efficacious and affordable COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics, medicines and vaccines to all, including the most vulnerable,” it continued.

ADVERTISEMENT

The U.N. secretary-general also delivered remarks at the meeting, warning that economic growth was slowing across the African continent while unrest has also occurred in some countries as a result of “harmful misinformation.”

“Out of 1.4 billion doses administered around the world today, only 24 million have reached Africa — less than two percent,” said U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the meeting.

 “The severe impact of the pandemic on young people — especially in Africa, the youngest continent — is contributing to increased risks. Loss of opportunities for education, employment and income drive a sense of alienation, marginalization and mental health stress that can be exploited by criminals and extremists,” he continued.

Just over 4.7 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed across Africa, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control. More than one-fourth of those infections are in hard-hit South Africa, which has confirmed more than 1.6 million cases within its borders.

The rate of new cases is once again climbing in South Africa, with local officials warning that the government is not doing enough to track infections.

Click Here: UK football tracksuit

Leaders of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee are requesting a briefing with the Department of Energy (DOE) on the ransomware attack that forced the Colonial Pipeline to shut down operations for nearly a week.

Committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice JohnsonEddie Bernice JohnsonHouse Science panel requests briefing with Energy Dept over Colonial hack Why does Rep. Johnson oppose NASA’s commercial human landing system? OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Dakota Access pipeline to remain in operation despite calls for shutdown | Biden hopes to boost climate spending by B | White House budget proposes .4B for environmental justice MORE (D-Texas) and ranking member Frank LucasFrank Dean LucasHouse Science panel requests briefing with Energy Dept over Colonial hack On The Trail: Texas underscores Democrats’ struggle with voter turnout GOP lawmaker calls for bolstering research budgets to help space program MORE (R-Okla.) sent a letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer GranholmJennifer GranholmHouse Science panel requests briefing with Energy Dept over Colonial hack Hillicon Valley: Colonial Pipeline CEO says company paid hackers .4 million in ransomware attack | Facebook sets up ‘special operations center’ for content on Israeli-Palestinian conflict | Granholm expresses openness to pipeline cyber standards after Granholm expresses openness to pipeline cyber standards after Colonial attack MORE on Wednesday asking her office to brief committee staff on the agency’s response to the hack and its efforts to address cybersecurity threats.

“DOE’s knowledge of our energy sector and the nuanced challenges facing various energy assets uniquely positions it to confront this emerging threat to our national security,” the lawmakers wrote, adding that the threats “demand robust and efficient coordination, both among federal entities and with other stakeholders within the energy sector.”

ADVERTISEMENT

“While DOE recently announced a ‘100 day plan’ to address cybersecurity risks for the United States electric system, we seek additional information on how DOE’s current and forthcoming cybersecurity activities incorporate energy resources transmitted via pipelines,” they continued.

The Hill has reached out to the Energy Department for comment.

Colonial, which supplies about 45 percent of fuel on the East Coast, restarted operations last week after being forced to shut down operations to protect operational controls due to the hack. The shutdown led to gas shortages in several states, fueled in part by panic buying of gasoline.

Colonial CEO Joseph Blount confirmed to The Wall Street Journal that the company paid the equivalent of $4.4 million in ransom the day of the attack.

Granholm appeared before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday and said she would support mandatory standards to secure pipelines, similar to standards the electric sector has.

ADVERTISEMENT

Colonial Pipeline briefed staff members of the House Homeland Security Committee and House Oversight and Reform Committee.

Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn MaloneyCarolyn MaloneyHouse Science panel requests briefing with Energy Dept over Colonial hack Overnight Health Care: State vaccine rates fall along red, blue divide | CDC study: Vaccination rates lower in rural counties Lawmakers press AbbVie CEO on increased US prices of two drugs MORE (D-N.Y.) and Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie ThompsonBennie Gordon ThompsonTim Ryan gives incensed speech on House floor slamming GOP over Jan. 6 commission House Science panel requests briefing with Energy Dept over Colonial hack Top Democrat: We thought McCarthy had endorsed Jan. 6 commission MORE (D-Miss.) blasted the company for not sharing specific information on the hack.

“It is deeply troubling that cyber criminals were able to use a ransomware attack to disrupt gas supply on the East Coast and reportedly extort millions of dollars,” they said.

“We’re disappointed that the company refused to share any specific information regarding the reported payment of ransom during today’s briefing,” the leaders said. “In order for Congress to legislate effectively on ransomware, we need this information.”

Click Here: custom product design

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!  Welcome to Overnight Energy, your source for the day’s energy and environment news. Please send tips and comments to Rachel Frazin at rfrazin@thehill.com . Follow her on Twitter: @RachelFrazin . Reach Zack Budryk at zbudryk@thehill.com or follow him on Twitter: @BudrykZack . Signup for our newsletter and others HERE. 

Today a climate adviser ousted under the Trump administration is back in the White House, Katie Porter takes aim at oil CEOs and a top Senate Democrat confirms the Biden administration’s waiver of Nord Stream 2 sanctions.

BACK IN THE SADDLE: White House reinstates climate adviser removed by Trump

ADVERTISEMENT

The White House has reinstated a top adviser overseeing the government’s reports on climate change after the official was removed from the position under former President TrumpDonald TrumpCuomo investigation includes priority virus testing for family, associates: report Anonymous Capitol Police letter to spur support for Jan. 6 probe causes stir Florida GOP passes bill that would clear way for Trump casino license MORE last year.

Officials announced on Wednesday that Michael Kuperberg had returned to the position of executive director of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, six months after he was reassigned during the previous administration. Officials stressed the need for nonpartisan leadership in charge of climate assessments and for science to be in the driver’s seat.

“We face urgent climate threats, but we have the knowledge needed to take bold action to combat them,” Kuperberg said in a statement. “As a scientist, it’s been my honor to serve the American people under Democratic and Republican administrations to help deliver science to inform solutions.”

What will Kuperberg handle?: Reprising his role, Kuperberg will be responsible for overseeing the government’s National Climate Assessment, which relies on opinions from government and independent scientists. The fourth edition of the report, issued in 2018, included dire warnings about the threat of climate change if the U.S. didn’t do enough to curb emissions. It reportedly angered the Trump White House. The former president often dismissed the threat of climate change.

Read more about the reinstatement here.

 

NO PORTER GIVEN: Porter blasts oil CEOs: ‘Declined to answer to the American people’

ADVERTISEMENT

Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) on Wednesday chastised oil company executives who declined her invitation to testify before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, saying they “declined to answer to the American people.”

Porter, who chairs the subcommittee, invited the CEOs of ExxonMobil, Devon Energy and EOG Resources to testify at a hearing, which was titled, “Misuse of Taxpayer Dollars and Corporate Welfare in the Oil and Gas Industry.”

All three, as well as officials with the trade group Western Energy Alliance, ultimately declined.

Porter cites industry tax breaks: “I have long said that congressional hearings are opportunities for representatives and witnesses to be in conversation with Americans. Yet, despite receiving billions in taxpayer subsidies, every witness that we invited today from the oil and gas industry declined to answer to the American people,” Porter said, responding during Wednesday’s hearing. 

Porter particularly pointed to tax breaks meant to encourage fossil fuel production, what she described as “outdated” royalty rates and rental fees for public lands drilling as well as coronavirus-related aid.

Read more about the hearing here.

 

ROUGHLY DOWN THE STREAM: Biden administration confirms it’s waiving sanctions over Nord Stream 2, Senate Democrat says

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob MenendezRobert (Bob) MenendezBottom line Senators shed masks after CDC lifts mandate Tensions mount among Democrats over US-Israel policy MORE (D-N.J.) said Wednesday that the Biden administration has confirmed it will waive sanctions against the Russian company behind the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

The announcement comes after the decision was initially reported Tuesday. Sources with knowledge of the situation said the administration would issue waivers for both the company and CEO Matthias Warnig, an associate of Russian President Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich PutinOvernight Energy: White House reinstates climate adviser removed by Trump | Porter blasts oil CEOs: ‘Declined to answer to the American people’ Biden administration confirms it’s waiving sanctions over Nord Stream 2, Senate Democrat says Putin, Xi announce start of joint Russian-Chinese nuclear project MORE.

The administration reportedly made the decision to avoid straining Washington’s relationship with Germany, which the natural gas pipeline is set to pass through. Reports said U.S. officials had determined it would not be possible to halt construction of the pipeline without also sanctioning German entities.

“I am opposed to the decision by the Biden Administration to waive sanctions on NS2 AG and Matthias Warnig. I urge the administration to rip off the Band-Aid, lift these waivers and move forward with the congressionally mandated sanctions,” Menendez said in a statement. “The administration has said that the pipeline is a bad idea and that it is a Russian malign influence project. I share that sentiment, but fail to see how today’s decision will advance U.S. efforts to counter Russian aggression in Europe.”

Read more about Menendez’s comments here.

 

ADVERTISEMENT

ON TAP TOMORROW:

• The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee will hold a hearing to examine Federal, state, and private forestlands, focusing on opportunities for addressing climate change.
• The House Climate Committee is having a hearing on investments to “modernize and expand” the electric grid.

 

WHAT WE’RE READING:

Conservative group launches bid to sell GOP on carbon tax, E&E News reports

EnergyAsia snubs IEA’s call to stop new fossil fuel investments, Reuters reports

Brazil environment minister probed for timber trafficking, The Buenos Aires Times reports

What to Save? Climate Change Forces Brutal Choices at National Parks, The New York Times reports

ADVERTISEMENT

Bill seeking $100M for energy-efficient affordable housing moves forward in Maine legislature, Mainebiz reports

 

ICYMI: Stories from Wednesday….

42 percent of world’s protected areas were added in last decade: UN report

Biden administration confirms it’s waiving sanctions over Nord Stream 2, Senate Democrat says

Putin, Xi announce start of joint Russian-Chinese nuclear project

Porter blasts oil CEOs: ‘Declined to answer to the American people’

ADVERTISEMENT

Granholm expresses openness to pipeline cyber standards after Colonial attack

White House climate adviser: Americans will ‘keep demanding’ upgraded infrastructure after Biden

Colonial Pipeline CEO says company paid hackers $4.4 million in ransomware attack

White House reinstates climate adviser removed by Trump

 

OFF-BEAT AND OFFBEAT:  It’s a living

Click Here: north queensland cowboys jersey

Senate Majority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerVenezuelans in Florida need GOP support for temporary protected status GOP splits open over Jan. 6 commission vote Senators shed masks after CDC lifts mandate MORE (D-N.Y.) is frustrating members of the powerful Senate Finance Committee by largely shutting the panel out of a bipartisan bill intended to increase U.S. economic competitiveness with China.

The move is raising eyebrows, with some lawmakers speculating that Schumer is laying the groundwork for a bigger fight later this year when he and Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiHouse approves Jan. 6 commission over GOP objections House rejects GOP effort to roll back chamber’s mask mandate Pence’s brother will vote against Jan. 6 commission MORE (D-Calif.) will attempt to pass legislation extending President BidenJoe BidenIsrael-Hamas ceasefire could come as soon as Friday: report US opposes UN resolution calling on Israel-Gaza ceasefire Parents of 54 migrant children found after separation under Trump administration MORE’s trade negotiating authority before it expires in July.

Specifically, Schumer is preventing a majority GOP priority — extended trade preferences and tariff relief — from getting added to the bipartisan Endless Frontiers Act.

ADVERTISEMENT

In doing so, he is giving Republicans a potential reason to work with Democrats on renewing Biden’s ability to fast-track trade deals through Congress by circumventing filibusters, setting up a time-limited process for congressional consideration and guaranteeing an up-or-down final vote without amendments.

Republican senators say Schumer is making these moves now on the China legislation primarily to help Pelosi secure Republican support in the House, where Democrats have only a four-seat majority and are generally more skeptical of trade deals than Senate Democrats.

There’s been little discussion among Senate Democrats so far about what to do about the July 1 deadline for extending Biden’s trade authority.

Schumer, the lead sponsor of the Endless Frontiers Act, rejected a deal hashed out by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenSenators introducing bill to penalize Pentagon for failed audits Senators express bipartisan interest in reviving infrastructure financing tool Democrats urge DOJ to stop searching journalists’ phone records MORE (D-Ore.) and Sen. Mike CrapoMichael (Mike) Dean CrapoSenators express bipartisan interest in reviving infrastructure financing tool Bottom line Senate GOP to give Biden infrastructure counteroffer next week MORE (R-Idaho), the ranking Republican on the panel, that would have added a litany of trade-related provisions to the China competitiveness bill, according to senators and aides in both parties.

Several Democrats on the Finance panel expressed dismay that their committee’s work product was not included in the China-focused legislation.

Sen. Ben CardinBenjamin (Ben) Louis CardinVenezuelans in Florida need GOP support for temporary protected status Senators shed masks after CDC lifts mandate Sanders: Netanyahu has cultivated ‘racist nationalism’ MORE (D-Md.) called the outcome “disappointing,” while another Democratic senator on the Finance Committee, who requested anonymity to express irritation said, “It is very frustrating.”

ADVERTISEMENT

But Democratic critics of the Wyden-Crapo deal said it had two provisions that could have derailed the Endless Frontiers Act. 

One of the provisions in the draft agreement would have lifted tariffs on personal protective equipment (PPE) imports from China, undercutting the broader political goal of limiting U.S. dependence on China, according to aides familiar with the draft deal.

“Certainly, the PPE thing is counterproductive to trying to get tough on China. That was in the original deal,” said a Senate aide familiar with the negotiations.

A Democratic aide confirmed that adding miscellaneous tariff provisions that Crapo wanted would have gone against the grain for trying to bolster U.S. economic competitiveness and “didn’t make sense in this package.” 

Another provision in the draft would have established a new inspector general for the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), a proposal supported by Sen. Robert MenendezRobert (Bob) MenendezBottom line Senators shed masks after CDC lifts mandate Tensions mount among Democrats over US-Israel policy MORE (D-N.J.) and Crapo.

That proposal, however, ran into opposition from the White House, which saw it as an infringement of executive privilege, according to Menendez.

“I think probably the administration pushed back. Questions of executive privileges and whatnot, which I think are fully deal-able-with and I think are over-exaggerated,” said Menendez, adding that he plans to offer an amendment to create an office of inspector general in the USTR.

Crapo said he thought he had a deal with Wyden and was surprised it got scrapped at the last minute.

“Sen. Wyden and I have been working very hard on putting together a bill and we’ve got a very substantial, I think, piece of trade legislation that could go on the bill. I’m working right now to get it in,” he said.

“I don’t understand the rationale,” he added.

Wyden will now offer several Finance Committee-drafted provisions as an amendment to the competitiveness bill, which is pending on the Senate floor.

“Senate Finance Democratic staff worked with Republicans to craft legislation but ultimately couldn’t agree on how to advance it. Wyden and Schumer will shortly introduce a bill that reflects negotiations with Republicans and we’re hopeful it will attract bipartisan support,” a Wyden spokesman told The Hill.

ADVERTISEMENT

Wyden and Schumer unveiled an amendment Wednesday evening that they say would combat trade cheating by China and other rival nations.

Wyden said the amendment “strikes at the heart of China’s anti-competitive and morally abhorrent labor, environmental and digital practices.”

The measure would bolster efforts to prohibit goods made with forced labor, such as from the Xinjiang region of China; provide modernized tools to USTR to address anti-competitive digital trade and censorship practices such as China’s Great Firewall; and require increased inspection of goods from countries identified as significant sources of counterfeit products.

But there’s less of a guarantee that the amendment will pass now that it’s been stripped of trade preferences, tariff relief and language setting up a USTR inspector general — all of which Crapo supported.

Wyden is hoping to move the 769-page bill he introduced Tuesday to extend trade preferences and tariff relief as soon as possible, and some Democratic aides think he doesn’t want to wait for the battle over extending Biden’s trade authority.

But with a slew of legislative priorities piling up on the Senate calendar, it will be tough to find floor time to move Wyden’s measure as a standalone bill. Schumer and Pelosi, however, could use it to pick up Republican votes, and cancel out Democratic defections, on any bill that extends Biden’s trade authority.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Biden administration’s 2021 trade policy agenda published in March provided notification for negotiations on a U.S.-European Union trade agreement; a U.S.-Japan trade agreement, as well as a U.S.-Japan digital trade deal; a U.S.-Kenya trade agreement; and a U.S.-United Kingdom trade agreement.

The last time Congress approved what’s known as Trade Promotion Authority was in 2015, when Republicans controlled both chambers. The measure narrowly passed the House in a 218-208 vote, with 190 Republicans and only 28 Democrats voting for it.

This time around, Democrats are hoping to use extended trade preferences and tariff relief as a way to secure that GOP support. 

Sen. Debbie StabenowDeborah (Debbie) Ann StabenowSenators shed masks after CDC lifts mandate Let America’s farmers grow climate solutions The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Emergent BioSolutions – House GOP drama intensifies; BIden sets new vax goal MORE (Mich.), the second-ranking Democrat on the Finance panel, says legislation to update and reauthorize expired trade programs, including the Generalized System of Preferences and the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill, could “maybe” be used to help pass other trade legislation later in the year.

Click Here: Cheap AFL Guernseys

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 by clicking HERE.

Welcome! Follow our cyber reporter, Maggie Miller (@magmill95), and tech team, Chris Mills Rodrigo (@chrisismills) and Rebecca Klar (@rebeccaklar_), for more coverage.

The CEO of Colonial Pipeline on Wednesday gave his first interview since the company was hit by a ransomware attack earlier this month, confirming publicly that he approved the payment of $4.4 million to the hackers to regain access to IT systems. Meanwhile, Facebook has set up a special operations center to monitor content on its platforms involving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Energy Secretary Jennifer GranholmJennifer GranholmHouse Science panel requests briefing with Energy Dept over Colonial hack Hillicon Valley: Colonial Pipeline CEO says company paid hackers .4 million in ransomware attack | Facebook sets up ‘special operations center’ for content on Israeli-Palestinian conflict | Granholm expresses openness to pipeline cyber standards after Granholm expresses openness to pipeline cyber standards after Colonial attack MORE expressed some tentative support for mandatory security standards for pipelines. 

ADVERTISEMENT

CONFIRMATION OF PAYMENT: The CEO of Colonial Pipeline, hit by a ransomware attack that forced it to shut down operations for much of last week, confirmed publicly for the first time Wednesday that the company paid the hackers behind the attack so it could regain access to its systems.

Colonial Pipeline CEO Joseph Blount told The Wall Street Journal that he authorized the company to pay the cyber criminals the equivalent of $4.4 million in Bitcoin on May 7, the day of the attack, for the keys to decrypt the network, less than the $5 million previously reported by Bloomberg. 

“I know that’s a highly controversial decision,” Blount told the publication. “I didn’t make it lightly. I will admit that I wasn’t comfortable seeing money go out the door to people like this.”

“But it was the right thing to do for the country,” he added.

Officials and cybersecurity experts have condemned the company for paying the ransom due to the potential that it might encourage hackers to target other critical infrastructure groups in the future. However, organizations targeted by ransomware attacks that choose not to pay often spend far more money and time recovering.

Read more about the decision here.

FACEBOOK’S RESPONSE: Facebook has set up a “special operations center” to monitor content on its platforms about the escalating Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a company executive said Wednesday. 

ADVERTISEMENT

The special operations center has 24-hour capabilities and includes native Arabic and Hebrew speakers to help Facebook identify content that violates its policies, as well as restore content that was removed in error, Facebook’s vice president of content policy, Monika Bickert, told reporters on a call. 

The special operations center, formalized last week, includes members of Facebook’s content review and content policy teams and puts them in regular contact with each other to help spot and respond to the “changing landscape,” Bickert said. 

Read more about the effort. 

GRANHOLM WEIGHS IN: Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Wednesday threw her tentative support behind the idea of mandatory standards to secure pipelines in the wake of the debilitating ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline earlier this month.

When asked by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) during a hearing on whether pipelines should be subject to similar strict mandatory security standards that the electric sector is, Granholm testified that the U.S. is currently “inadequate” on pipeline security.

“I think that this is an example potentially of that,” Granholm said of the attack on Colonial Pipeline. “If we had had standards in place, would this particular ransomware attack have been able to happen? You know, I’m not 100 percent sure.”

“I do know that having good cyber hygiene on the private side as well as on the public side is a critical basic defense, and for entities that provide services to the public like that, especially critical services like energy, I think it’s an important consideration for this committee for sure,” she added.

Granholm’s remarks appear to differ from those made by President BidenJoe BidenIsrael-Hamas ceasefire could come as soon as Friday: report US opposes UN resolution calling on Israel-Gaza ceasefire Parents of 54 migrant children found after separation under Trump administration MORE last week on cybersecurity standards, in which he rejected the idea of mandated cybersecurity standards. 

Read more about potential standards here

SCHOOL’S IN SESSION FOR HACKERS: Cyber criminals are stepping up their efforts to hack into vulnerable school districts, often launching ransomware attacks like the kind that shut down the Colonial Pipeline earlier this month.

The number of cyberattacks targeting schools has increased during the coronavirus pandemic, jumping almost 20 percent in 2020 compared with the previous year, according to one industry report.

The impact of those attacks is all the more damaging as the majority of districts have migrated to some level of virtual learning to comply with COVID-19 restrictions, making it easier for hackers to disrupt classes or take them offline altogether.

“We have seen major school districts, lots of students, essentially shut down, no learning going on for days,” Doug Levin, the national director of the K-12 Security Information Exchange, told The Hill.

Read more here.

ADVERTISEMENT

FTC TAKES ON FRONTIER: Frontier Communications is accused of misrepresenting internet speeds it advertised and charged for, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and six state attorneys general.

The lawsuit alleges Frontier Communications, which provides service to about 1.3 million consumers across 25 states, did not provide many consumers with the maximum speeds they were promised, and the speeds consumers did receive often fell short of what was touted in the plans they had purchased. 

The complaint alleges in “numerous instances” the company billed, charged, collected or attempted to collect payment from consumers for “more expensive and higher-speed tiers” of internet service than Frontier has provided or has been capable of providing such consumers. 

A spokesperson for Frontier pushed back on the allegations and said the company will “present a vigorous defense.” 

Read more about the complaint. 

RUMBLINGS: Conservative venture capitalists Peter Thiel and J.D. Vance are investing in YouTube alternative Rumble, a platform popular among Republicans.

The investment group consists of Narya Capital, founded by Colin Greenspon. It also includes Vance and Colt Ventures, the family office of former Trump adviser Darren Blanton, The Wall Street Journal reported.

ADVERTISEMENT

The amount of the transaction was unknown but a source told the Journal it was significant and another source said the investment values the company around $500 million.

Rumble is one the new platforms that have appealed to the right as many conservatives see mainstream social media speech guidelines as too constrictive. 

The platform was founded in 2013 and gained notoriety after conservative commentator Dan Bongino and Rep. Devin NunesDevin Gerald NunesHillicon Valley: Colonial Pipeline CEO says company paid hackers .4 million in ransomware attack | Facebook sets up ‘special operations center’ for content on Israeli-Palestinian conflict | Granholm expresses openness to pipeline cyber standards after Peter Thiel, J.D. Vance investing in YouTube alternative popular among conservatives Hillicon Valley: Democrats urge Facebook to abandon ‘Instagram for kids’ plan | ‘Homework gap’ likely to persist after pandemic MORE (R-Calif.) promoted it last October, according to WSJ.

Read more.

PHONE UPDATE: Google announced new privacy features for its Android phone operating system Tuesday that will give users more control over their data but stop short of Apple’s more aggressive options.

The new features unveiled at Google’s annual I/O developer conference include visual cues that indicate when cameras or microphones are being used, the option to give apps access to approximate rather than precise location and a privacy dashboard.

“Android 12 is our most ambitious privacy release to date,” the company said on its blog. “Along the way, we have engaged closely with our developer community to build a platform that puts privacy at the forefront while taking into consideration the impact on developers.”

ADVERTISEMENT

The announcement of new features follows Apple’s rollout of its iOS 14 system in February.

That update forces apps to get permission from users to track them across other apps for advertising purposes.

Google could still adopt similar measures down the line, especially given that the company has made inroads toward limiting ad tracking on searches.

Read more. 

Lighter click: Parlez vous?

An op-ed to chew on: We need to formalize counter-disinformation education for children and teens

NOTABLE LINKS FROM AROUND THE WEB: 

Mob Violence Against Palestinians in Israel Is Fueled by Groups on WhatsApp (New York Times / Sheera Frenkel)

The Gig Economy’s Business Model Is a Roadblock to Fighting Climate Change (Motherboard / Edward Ongweso Jr.)

Imperfect Offerings: Inside The Complex New World Of Trans Tech (The Verge / Kait Sanchez)

SolarWinds CEO reveals much earlier hack timeline, regrets company blaming intern (CyberScoop / Tim Starks)

Click Here: brisbane lions jersey