S. 1072: A bill to ensure that the Federal Aviation Administration advances the safety of small airplanes and the continued development of the general aviation industry, and for other purposes was introduced on May 23, 2013 bySen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
The State Department published Amendment to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations: Revision of U.S. Munitions List Category XV and Definition of ‘‘Defense Service’’ (PDF) in today’s Federal Register (78 Fed. Reg. 31444-31451). Additionally, the Commerce Department published proposed rules on Export Administration Regulations (EAR): Control of Spacecraft
Systems and Related Items the President Determines No Longer Warrant
Control Under the United States Munitions List (USML) (PDF) These two sets of draft rules are the next step in the administrations ongoing export control reform initiative. Specifically, the proposed changes to the export control regime will remove nonmilitary spacecraft and satellite technology from the United States Munitions List and place these technologies on the Commerce Control List.
Source – FAA:
FAA and Kingdom of the Netherlands Sign Agreement
May 23–The FAA and the Kingdom of the Netherlands today signed an agreement to promote a safe aviation environment in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten) and the Caribbean parts of the Netherlands (Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius).
“The FAA looks forward to working with the Kingdom to enhance our aviation cooperation in the Caribbean,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta.
“The Kingdom of the Netherlands is pleased to join the Federal Aviation Administration to promote the air safety of the Dutch Caribbean. The Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United States share values, history and a commitment to safety, in the air, on the land or sea. This agreement strengthens our cooperation to the benefit of the Caribbean, the United States and Europe,” said Ambassador Rudolf Bekink.
The United States is responsible for providing air traffic flow services in the San Juan Flight Information Region which is adjacent to the Kingdom of the Netherlands airspace. This agreement will promote cooperation between the two nations to include coordination of traffic flows between U.S. –controlled airspace and the airspace controlled by Sint Maarten and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It also provides for the FAA to work directly with the authorities in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom to facilitate the installation and maintenance of FAA air navigation equipment and facilities as needed, to provide technical assistance, and for the exchange of information on the regulation and oversight of aviation safety.
S. 1016: A bill to protect individual privacy against unwarranted governmental intrusion through the use of the unmanned aerial vehicles commonly called drones, and for other purposes was introduced on May 22, 2013 by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY):
Source – E.U. Pariament:
European Parliament legislative resolution of 21 May 2013 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Union and the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation providing a general framework for enhanced cooperation (05822/2013 – C7-0044/2013 – 2012/0213 (NLE))
(Consent)The European Parliament ,
– having regard to the draft Council decision (05822/2013),
– having regard to the Council Decision on the signing, on behalf of the Union, and provisional application of the Agreement providing a general framework for enhanced cooperation between the European Union and the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (13792/2012),
– having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 100(2) and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C7-0044/2013),
– having regard to Rules 81 and 90(7) of its Rules of Procedure,
– having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (A7-0157/2013),
1. Consents to conclusion of the Agreement;
2. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation.
H.R. 2077: To prohibit employers from compelling or coercing any person to authorize access to a protected computer, and for other purposes was introduced on May 21, 2013 by Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO7).
Source – Space War:
STRATCOM strives to build coalitions for space operations
by Donna Miles for American Forces Press Service
Offutt AFB (AFPS) NB (SPX) May 22, 2013File image.
Recognizing the value of multinational coalitions for operations in the land, maritime and air domains, officials at U.S. Strategic Command here hope to forge a coalition that shares assets and capabilities in space.The U.S. and its allies are discussing details for the first agreement of its kind promoting combined space operations, Brig. Gen. David D. Thompson, the STRATCOM’s deputy director of global operations, told American Forces Press Service.
The agreement could spell out specific areas in which the participating nations will work together, and what each will contribute to those efforts, Thompson said. . . . [Full Story]
The FAA has published a notice on the Office of Commercial Space Transportation; Notice of Availability of a Record of Decision (ROD) To Issue a Reentry License to Lockheed Martin Corporation for the Reentry of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) From Earth Orbit to a Location in the Pacific Ocean (PDF) in the Federal Register (78 Fed. Reg. 29428):
SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA; 42 United States Code 4321 et seq.), Council on Environmental Quality NEPA implementing regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations parts 1500 to 1508), and FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1, Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures, the FAA is announcing the availability of the ROD to issue a reentry license to Lockheed Martin Corporation for the reentry of the Orion MPCV from Earth orbit to a location in the Pacific Ocean.
Source – Stockholm Internet Forum:
About
The Stockholm Internet Forum is a conference that aims to deepen the discussions on how freedom and openness on the Internet promote economic and social development worldwide. It was held for the first time in April 2012. This year’s conference will take place May 22-23 in Stockholm.The Forum aims to bring together policymakers, civil society representatives, activists, business representatives and technical community representatives. Freedom and openness, respect for human rights, innovation and global development are the key concepts for the Forum.
The conference have two main themes this year: Internet Freedom and Security, and Internet Freedom and Development.
Location
The Stockholm Internet Forum will be held at Münchenbryggeriet (The Brewery) at Södermalm in Stockholm.
source – U.S. State Department:
Outcomes at the World Telecommunication/Information and Communication Technology Policy Forum
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
May 17, 2013Daniel Sepulveda, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and U.S. Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, led a U.S. delegation to the World Telecommunication/Information and Communication Technology Policy Forum (WTPF) in Geneva, Switzerland this week.
Discussions were conducted by the International Telecommunication Union and focused on adoption of Internet Protocol version 6 (iPv6), promoting Internet Exchange Points to advance Internet connectivity, and supporting the multi-stakeholder model of Internet governance.
The forum sought to adopt six consensus-based opinions on Internet issues, validating the multi-stakeholder process which brought together governments, the technical community, civil society, and academia. The six opinions form a common denominator for future discussions on Internet governance.
PRN: 2013/0597
