Reforming FCC Process

House Communications Subcommittee Democrats say the Republicans are off base with their proposed Federal Communications Commission reform bill, arguing that it is "inconsistent" with the reasoning behind the Administrative Procedures Act and could undermine the commission, not help, it by imposing requirements that could reduce regulatory flexibility or merger conditions restrictions that could lead the FCC to deny mergers it might otherwise approve.

House Communications Subcommittee majority staffers have come up with a discussion draft of proposed Federal Communications Commission process reform legislation that would include a shot clock and cost-benefit analysis on any new rules, allow more than two commissioners to meet outside of public meetings, and require new reports to Congress on the state of the industry and of the FCC's efforts to speed its rulemaking process.