CDT: Looking at the Remaining Months of the 111th Congress' First Session

Yesterday the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) held a briefing to discuss what issues are likely to receive some attention in the remaining months of this Congress' first session. While President Leslie Harris declined to make any predictions about the future, she said opportunities to insert policy into "must-pass" legislation, like appropriations bills, may arise. With health care reform taking up legislators' time, extending the session into November and December is very likely at this point. At the very least, the added time may help legislators move priorities into line so they are ready for action in the second session of the 111th Congress.

CDT experts say a number of issues are still awaiting consideration, including cybersecurity and the Patriot Act. As Congress waits to see who President Obama may appoint for cybersecurity advisor, the Senate is working on the Rockefeller-Snowe cybersecurity bill and expecting a Lieberman-Collins bill any day. Additionally, provisions of the Patriot Act are set to expire this fall. CDT says the House Judiciary Committee will hold hearings on this topic next week, with the Senate Judiciary following up soon after that. It is expected that Senators Russ Feingold and Dick Durbin may propose changes to the current law.

They also say that issues like net neutrality and consumer privacy are pending before Congress. In the case of the former, litigation over the Comcast decision is still ongoing, and the net neutrality regulations surrounding broadband grants give this issue some staying power in Washington. With all of that said, however, it is very hard to predict the future. It is possible health care reform will dominate the fall and leave room for little else. As followers of the cap and trade bill are finding, anything but health care is getting little attention these days.