CBO Scores FCC Consolidated Reporting Act

The Federal Communications Commission Consolidated Reporting Act of 2017 (S.174) would require the Federal Communications Commission to prepare a biennial report for the Congress that assesses certain characteristics of the communications industry. The report would analyze the state of competition in the markets for voice, video, audio, and data services; the availability of advanced communications capabilities; and barriers to competitive entry or expansion in the communications marketplace. S. 174 also would relieve the FCC of requirements to prepare certain other reports on topics ranging from access to satellite services to prices for cable services. In all, the bill would eliminate more than 20 reports and notices, including some that remain in current law even though the deadlines for their completion have passed.

On the basis of an analysis of information from the FCC, CBO estimates that implementing the provisions of S. 174 would not have a significant effect on the agency’s costs. Any additional expenses the FCC would incur to prepare the new assessment of the communications industry would be offset by a reduction in costs that otherwise would have been incurred for reports that would be eliminated under the bill. Moreover, under current law, the FCC is authorized to collect fees sufficient to offset the costs of its regulatory activities each year; therefore, CBO estimates that the net cost to the FCC to implement S. 174 would be negligible, assuming appropriation actions consistent with that authority. Enacting S. 174 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO estimates that enacting S. 174 would not increase net direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2028. S. 174 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments.