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Congress pushes tech bills

Lawmakers scramble in the final hours of Congress's session to slam through bills governing the Net and high tech.

CNET News staff
2 min read
In the final hours of Congress's session, lawmakers are trying to slam through bills governing Net content for minors, skilled foreign worker visas, and shareholder lawsuits, among others. The high-tech provisions were slapped onto a major spending bill that President Clinton is expected to sign, and are set to be cleared by lawmakers as late as Tuesday.

Tech bills in the budget
update A $500 billion-plus federal spending bill contains a handful of industry-backed provisions as well as controversial Net content regulations.

Tech bills face 11th-hour rush
Congress attempts to approve funding for the fiscal year that began on October 1 while passing a handful of Net regulations before the clock strikes midnight.

GOP chides Clinton on Net porn bill
Lawmakers backing a measure to limit online pornography blast the White House for opposing their proposal.

CDA II may slip into law
As it scrambles to adjourn, Congress could pass a "CDA II" to make it a crime for commercial sites to give minors access to "harmful material."

ISPs as child porn watchdogs?
A bill on its way to President Clinton could make Net access providers responsible for policing their services for child pornography.

H1-B bill could get reprieve
Legislation to almost double the number of highly skilled tech workers allowed into the country may escape sudden death.

Senate OKs lawsuit curbs
With high tech in mind, senators pass legislation to rein in shareholder suits against companies with volatile stock prices.

Tech bills hang in the balance
roundup Legislation to govern an array of Net and technology issues must be voted on quickly as Congress's session comes to a close.