The FCC’s new privacy rules were the latest casualties of the Trump Administration’s deregulatory agenda this week as Congress voted to eliminate the rules. After receiving a slight majority vote in the Senate, a resolution overturning the FCC’s privacy rules passed in the House of Representatives by a slim 215-205 vote on March 28th.
The resolution was passed using the Congressional Review Act, which provides Congress with a legislative tool to overturn recently enacted regulations. Both the House and the Senate maintained voting along party lines, although 15 Republicans in the House voted against the resolution.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai praised the vote, using the opportunity to emphasize his goal of returning jurisdiction over broadband providers’ privacy practices to the FTC, as the FTC had original jurisdiction over ISPs prior to the 2015 Open Internet Order.
The next stop for the legislation will be President Trump’s desk, and the White House has already signaled that President Trump will sign the resolution into law.
The vote to eliminate the FCC’s rules raises numerous questions for ISPs and telecommunications providers:
- What is the impact of the Congressional vote on existing responsibilities, such as CPNI compliance?
- How will this legislation affect current privacy or data security compliance programs?
- What should companies be doing to protect privacy and data security moving forward?
Register Now for the Upcoming Free, Live Webinar
Join The CommLaw Group on Thursday, April 6th at 11 a.m. Eastern for a free, live webinar which will cover a host of important topics related to privacy and data security, including a review of this recent congressional vote and its implications. This webinar will also provide critical information about the various privacy and data security regulations that remain even after the elimination of the FCC privacy rules. Our attorneys will provide details on how companies can make sense of the uncertainty that now hangs over privacy and data security compliance.
The CommLaw Group’s Privacy Attorneys Know FCC Compliance
The CommLaw Group has helped countless communications industry clients develop strategies for complying with federal regulations. We can help your business build a privacy and data security plan to achieve ongoing compliance with applicable rules and regulations. If you have any questions, please contact Linda McReynolds, CIPP/US, at lgm@commlawgroup.com or 703-714-1318; Ronald Quirk at req@commlawgroup.com or 703-714-1305; or Alexander Schneider at ais@commlawgroup.com or 703-714-1328.
To register for the webinar, please use the following link: httpss://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/552932684276899331. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
