Recess

The House and Senate were in recess again this week; lawmakers will return to Washington next week following the Columbus Day holiday. On Tuesday, President Trump awarded the Medal of Freedom to former Attorney General Edwin Meese.

Rep. Lowey Not Seeking Reelection, Rep. Thornberry Retiring

House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) announced today that she will not seek reelection in 2020. Last week, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Mac Thornberry (R-TX) also announced that he will retire at the end of this Congress.

Updates from Europe

Meanwhile, in Europe, Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager appeared before a joint meeting of four European Parliament Committees in Brussels in support of her appointment to also serve as the European Commission’s Executive Vice President for Digital.

California Consumer Privacy Act

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra also released proposed regulations this afternoon to implement the landmark California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which goes into effect on January 1, 2020. The Office of the Attorney General will hold four public hearings on the proposed regulations and accept comments until December 6.

Read more in McGuireWoods Consulting’s Emerging Technologies Washington Update.