FCC Reform Update

On March 19, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski sent oversight leaders in the House and Senate a letter updating them on the Commission's efforts in response to a Government Accountability office (GAO) report entitled FCC Management: Improvements Needed in Communication, Decision-Making Processes, and Workforce Planning (GAO 10-79).

GAO recommended that the FCC "develop written policies on interbureau coordination and commissioner access to staff analyses; revise its public comment process and its ex parte policies; and develop targets identifying expertise needs, strategies for meeting targets, and measures for tracking progress."

On February 18, FCC staff made a public presentation on several agency-wide efforts to increase openness and transparency, encourage public input, be more data-driven, and be a model of excellence in government. The key topics covered by the reform agenda are the following: public safety readiness; data collection, analysis and dissemination; systems; communication; workforce planning and organization; rules and processes; and financial operations.