Summary Next week, Members of the European Parliament (“MEPs”) will meet in Brussels for Committee Meetings.  Several interesting debates, hearings and votes are scheduled to take place. On Thursday, the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (“AFCO”) will vote on a recommendation to the European Parliament to consent to the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement (also known as the Brexit deal) during a plenary vote scheduled for January 29, 2020.  This will only happen if the  UK House of…

On January 15, 2020, President Trump and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He signed the much-anticipated “Phase One” trade agreement between the U.S. and China. Set to take effect no later than February 14, 2020, the “Economic and Trade Agreement Between the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China” (the “Agreement”) is the first formal accord concluded between the U.S. and China since the U.S. began imposing tariffs on Chinese imports in July…

The Trump Administration has declared this month National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, calling on industry associations, law enforcement, private businesses, and others to work toward ending modern slavery and human trafficking. This proclamation follows the Administration’s efforts to combat human trafficking, which we have previously discussed here, and comes on the heels of an OMB memorandum released last fall aimed at “enhanc[ing] the effectiveness of anti-trafficking requirements in Federal acquisition while helping…

On January 8, 2020, Federal Reserve Board (“FRB”) Governor Lael Brainard delivered remarks on the state of Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) reform before an audience at the Urban Institute.  As we summarized in a client alert, last month, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) released a proposed overhaul of the regulations implementing the CRA, which the FRB declined to join.  While Governor Brainard’s speech…

Summary Next week, Members of the European Parliament (“MEPs”) will travel to Strasbourg for plenary session.  Several interesting debates and votes are scheduled to take place. On Tuesday, the High Representative of the Union and Vice-President of the Commission Joseph Borrell, who has been in office since December 1, 2019, will make a statement regarding the situation in Iran, following a debate on the topic with MEPs.  The situation in the Middle East has destabilized considerably…

The America Invents Act (“AIA”) may be back on Congress’s agenda this year.  Enacted in 2011, the AIA established the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”) to adjudicate patentability disputes.  The Board is composed of administrative patent judges (APJs) who are appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and removable by either the Secretary or the Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for “such cause as will promote the efficiency of the service.”…

5G wireless technology has captured the attention of Congress.  At least 30 5G-related bills have been introduced in the House and Senate this Congress, signaling widespread interest by lawmakers in 5G. Several of these bills, addressing a range of issues including national security concerns, the promotion of U.S. leadership in international 5G standards-setting bodies, and the deployment of domestic 5G infrastructure, have passed through committee with strong bipartisan support. The Secure 5G and Beyond Act…