Here is just a small part of the portfolio of topics on which Mr. Bezos' empire heckled Congress and US agencies about, in the last 90 days.
His increasingly tight grip on American commerce is beyond serious argument, now. And yet. . . whether he will be a benevolent oligarch, or a malign one. . . is still very much an open question. But it is not looking particularly promising, especially on the labor rights front. [He has long been lobbying to weaken labor organizing rights statutes. Ugh. All while his drivers often must pee into bottles while racing his delivery vans from stop to stop -- as they get nothing like a realistic daily task load -- and rarely get time for a meal during the 8 hour rotating shifts. This. . . is the "normal" for nearly one million workers he employs -- as drivers.]
. . .Issues related to broadband access and affordability, satellite communications, drones, space safety, spectrum, device accessibility, Section 230 reform, content moderation, and online video, including the ORBITS Act of 2023 (S. 447), the Satellite and Telecommunications Streamlining Act (H.R. 1338) and implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58). . . .
Issues related to taxes, including renewable energy tax credits, digital goods and services, international and corporate taxation, the American Innovation and Jobs Act (S. 866), the American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act (H.R. 2673), Tax Cuts for Working Families Act (H.R. 3936), the Small Business Jobs Act (H.R. 3937), the Build it in America Act (H.R. 3938), and implementation of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (Public Law 115-97). . . .
Issues related to cybersecurity, including critical infrastructure protection, payments security, cloud security, authentication, government procurement, cybersecurity incident reporting, and artificial intelligence, including the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (H.R. 2670). . . .
Issues related to immigration, high-skilled immigration, and non-immigrant visas, including issues related to employment-based visas, green card backlog, the STEM visa exemption provision, the DREAM Act (S. 365), the EAGLE Act (draft bill - no numbers), the Afghan Adjustment Act (H.R. 4627 / S. 2327), and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). . . .
Issues related to surface transportation, including autonomous vehicles, alternative fuel vehicles, community infrastructure investments, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, e-bikes, hazardous materials, port congestion, U.S. internal supply chain and goods movement, and maritime transportation; issues related to infrastructure, including implementation of the Infrastructure and Jobs Investment Act (Public Law 117-58). . . .
Issues related to USDA SNAP online purchasing, including reauthorization of the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-334), Electronic Benefit Transfer, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and food safety. . . .
Issues related to e-commerce opportunities for small businesses and government procurement. . . .Issues related to IT modernization, cybersecurity, FedRAMP, open data, and government procurement, including the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Rural Development, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 8294), the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (H.R. 2670), implementation of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-435), the FY 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act (draft bill - no numbers), the Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act (H.R. 1695 / S. 931), implementation of the Federal Information Security Management Act (Public Law 107-347), and the Multi-Cloud Innovation and Advancement Act of 2023 (H.R. 4891). . . .
Issues related to health information technology, healthcare and telehealth, including the Telehealth Expansion Act (H.R. 1843 / S. 1001), the Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act (H.R. 824), the CONNECT for Health Act (S. 2016 / H.R. 4189), and the Primary Care Enhancement Act (H.R. 3029); and issues related to pharmacy, including the Prescription Information Modernization Act (H.R. 1503). . . .
Issues related to the Equality Act (H.R. 5 / S. 393), the Justice in Policing Act (draft bill - no number), and cannabis reform, including the States Reform Act (H.R. 5977) and the Cannabis Administration & Opportunity Act (S. 4591). . . .
Issues related to Amazons Climate Pledge, including alternative fuel vehicles, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, renewable electricity data, federal fleet electrification, maritime and shipping decarbonization, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and low-carbon R&D. Issues related to energy and environmental provisions in the Infrastructure and Jobs Investment Act (P.L. 117-58). . . .
Now you know. I think this closes out our Q3 lobbying sunshine effort. Onward, grinning. . . .
नमस्ते
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