FCC Oversight Hearing Recap

The House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government convened an oversight hearing of the Federal Communications Commission. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr was the sole witness. Subcommittee Chairman Dave Joyce (R-OH) noted that since Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, the FCC has received flat funding of $390.2 million. Each year, the FCC’s appropriation is fully offset by the collection of regulatory fees paid by license holders. Not only is the FCC’s appropriation fully offset, but the FCC routinely transfers any excess revenue to the Treasury for deficit reduction. Chairman Joyce added:

Subcommittee Ranking Member Steny Hoyer (D-MD) raised concerns about the FCC and the First Amendment since Brendan Carr became FCC Chairman in January 2025. He quoted President Donald Trump who told Congress that "I’ve stopped all government censorship and brought back free speech in America—it’s back." But President Trump also told his supporters that "I am your retribution." Rep. Hoyer added, "The First Amendment, of course, is not intended to protect the president from the press. It is intended to protect the... press against the government. Nor was the FCC established to act in the president's interest, but rather in the public's interest. Now more than ever, the American people are counting on the FCC to focus on its mission under law." Hoyer urged Chairman Carr to focus on expanding expanding affordable, reliable access to the internet and other crucial technology in both rural and urban areas.

Chairman Carr highlighted the FCC's work since he became chair in January 2025:

• To start, we have already taken steps to unleash new high-speed infrastructure builds.  We have done so by making it easier for providers to retire aging, copper-line networks and invest resources into fast, modern ones instead. 
• The FCC has taken steps to restore America’s leadership in wireless and free up more spectrum up for consumer use. We launched a new proceeding that looks at freeing up a large swath of prime, mid-band spectrum in the C-Band and started a proceeding to explore new and creative ways that we could allow more intensive use of spectrum in the 37 GHz band. We also kicked off the process of auctioning AWS-3 licenses after Congress authorized the FCC to conduct the auction
• The FCC has focused on boosting America’s space economy. We streamlined the FCC approval process for earth station siting requests to reduce burdens on satellite companies and ensure the agency can move faster as more of these requests come in.
• The FCC launched [sic] a massive deregulatory effort titled, “In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete.”  Right now, the FCC is doing a top to bottom review of every rule, regulation, and guidance document for the purpose of eliminating unnecessary regulatory burdens.    
• The FCC has expanded its work to combat illegal robocalls and bolster our call blocking rules.
• The FCC is also taking steps to enhance our national security and public safety. I created a new Council on National Security within the FCC to leverage all of the agency’s authorities and relevant work streams to counter the threats posed by foreign adversaries.  

Both Reps Joyce and Hoyer pressed Carr on his claim that he's saved the agency $567 million by eliminating some contracts. Carr ultimately acknowledged that the bulk of the figure was based on projected contract ceiling reductions, not actual spending cuts.

Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) asked when Congress could expect to see the FCC’s fiscal year 2026 budget request, Carr replied, “I have no news to break on the timing.” The FCC has not yet submitted a formal funding proposal, an unusual omission for an oversight hearing focused in part on agency operations and expenditures. Carr emphasized that the FCC was currently operating under a $390 million continuing resolution, plus spectrum auction funds, and insisted the FCC remains on “very stable, comfortable financial footing.” Carr added he would be “comfortable with wherever the number lands” between the White House and Congress.

Chairman Carr answered a number of questions about the role “invidious discrimination” played in the FCC's approval of Verizon's acquisition of Frontier. Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-MD) challenged Carr on whether the agency conducted any formal investigation before making such serious allegations about Verizon's diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. Rep Ivey noted that some efforts around diversity, equity, and inclusion were mandated by a court in response to a suit against the company.

Discrimination based on race, gender, or religion has no place in our society—but neither do baseless accusations. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr’s investigation into DEI programs at companies like Disney and Comcast must be grounded in facts, not politics. Real accountability… pic.twitter.com/aLjbGiDtWM

— Rep. Glenn Ivey (@RepGlennIvey) May 21, 2025

“When you allege invidious discrimination based only on that one training class, and use it in a way to leverage or essentially block a $10 billion transaction that the FCC ultimately held was in the best interest of the American people for a variety of reasons,” Ivey said, “that's a big step.”

“Did you review any particular allegations against Verizon before you sent this letter? Any court cases? Any EEOC [Equal Employment Opportunity Commission] complaints?”

Carr deflected, stating that the FCC had “rules on our books that deal with [equal employment opportunity]” and that he was aware of public materials. When asked whether a formal investigation into such actions were appropriate, Carr said the agency “followed the FCC process” and “did not apply a standard that would require that level of investigation.”

Ranking Member Hoyer followed up on this line of questioning, saying, “The motivation [to stall the merger] went away as soon as Verizon settled with you on the DEI. Within three hours, the decision was made that the merger is okay.” Carr defended the process as typical.