Congress is investigating Federal Communications Commission regulatory procedures to determine if they are being conducted in a fair, open, efficient, and transparent manner. Follow the debate here.
FCC Reform
Is the FCC Forcing Consumers to Pay $225 to File Complaints? It's Complicated
Having your voice heard at the Federal Communications Commission could soon cost you hundreds of dollars, according to congressional Democrats who oppose a looming rule change. But that may not be the case after all, a review of the FCC proposal shows.
Commissioner O'Rielly's FCC Process Reform Remarks Before the Free State Foundation
I have approximately 50 ideas – both old and new – on Federal Communications Commission process reform.
FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for July 2018 Open Meeting
[Press release] Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that the following items are tentatively on the agenda for the July Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, July 12, 2018:
Scoring a Victory for 5G
When it comes to 5G, we need to keep the playbook fresh and forward leaning. So at our July 12 meeting, the Federal Communications Commission will take another step to ensure that America continues to lead the world in mobile innovation. Headlining the agenda at the FCC’s July meeting is a proposal to make more intensive use of mid-band spectrum from 3.7 to 4.2 GHz, commonly called the C-band. Another area in which the FCC has made substantial progress but must not stand still is emergency alerting.
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of five commissioners with many important responsibilities including network neutrality, media ownership, spectrum policy, universal service, and broadband deployment. These and other issues have often divided the commissioners on public, sometimes partisan, disputes about the direction of the Commission. What role does politics play in the FCC? How has the influence of Congress and the White House affected the Commission? Have the respective roles of the Chairman and Commissioners varied over the years?
Now that the RAY BAUM’S Act is Law, What's In It?
On March 23, 2018, President Donald Trump signed H.R. 1625, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018. H.R. 1625's 2,232 pages make for a great read, but if you're looking for just the telecommunications policy highlights, let's thumb through straight to Division P, the Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services Act of 2018 or the RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018 which reauthorizes the Federal Communications Commission and does a whole bunch more. The bill completes a process began three years ago.
Key Communications Provisions Make it on Omnibus Bill
Legislation to reauthorize the Federal Communications Commission, boost mobile broadband, and provide additional funds, as needed, for broadcasters' moves to new spectrum in the post-incentive auction repack has been included in the must-pass omnibus spending bill, which must pass by March 23 to avoid another government shutdown. The RAY BAUM Act (which incorporated Sen.
Something Strange Is Going on With This FCC Reauthorization Bill, and It Isn’t Good
Recently, the House of Representatives approved H.R. 4986 -- a bill that, among other things, reauthorizes the Federal Communications Commission and approves the agency’s funding for fiscal years 2019 and 2020. House passage followed an announcement that the bipartisan leadership of the Senate Commerce Committee and the House Commerce Committee had reached an agreement to support the legislation -- framing the bill as reauthorizing the FCC and spurring deployment of 5G wireless networks across the nation.
FCC Reauthorization Bill (RAY BAUM Act) Passes House
The "Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services Act of 2018" (RAY BAUM Act) (HR 4986) has been unanimously approved by the House. The bill was named in honor of the late Energy & Commerce staff director, who died in February. It is expected to pass the Senate as well.