Public Knowledge Joins Letter Opposing Act Limiting Independent Agencies

Public Knowledge joined more than 50 other consumer, small business, community, health, environmental and civil rights groups in a letter to the Senate’s Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee urging members to oppose the Independent Agency Regulatory Analysis Act of 2015. Public Knowledge opposes this act due to its potential consequences on independent agencies like the Federal Communications Commission. These effects could then be subject to presidential influence and new burdens that might reduce its ability to protect the public interest.

Chris Lewis, Vice President of Government Affairs at Public Knowledge, said, "Public Knowledge today adds its voice to the long list of organizations concerned about the direction of this bill. In communications policy, we've spent the last eight months hearing net neutrality opponents falsely claim that net neutrality rules only happened because of undue influence by the administration on the FCC as an independent agency. Now many of the same folks are calling for the administration to direct the FCC in all its rulemakings. The FCC and other independent agencies were created by Congress with a broader public interest mandate beyond basic economic impact on companies. This bill threatens to tip the balance away from basic consumer protection and public interest rule making."