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. 

1. Codify Commission Procedures: The Commission must establish a more formal structure for our procedures. Most of you would probably be shocked to learn that few of our internal workings are written down anywhere. They are merely passed down through the years under the guise of “how we’ve always done it.”
2. Formalize Timeframes & Timelines: The Commission should take the necessary steps to ensure that all work is concluded expeditiously, and that the public has an opportunity to challenge a decision promptly.
3. Eliminate the Administrative Law Judge Process: The process for when issues are sent to administrative hearing must be revised and the role of the Administrative Law Judge should be eliminated.
4. Deregulatory Presumption: In light of the vibrant competition in the various sectors of the communications marketplace, not only should the Commission review all proceedings with a deregulatory eye, but it should also use available tools, such as forbearance and mandatory reviews, to eliminate unnecessary regulation.
5. Fixing Enforcement: Not only is there a need to track the forfeiture collection process to confirm that our actions are carried through, but there is a need to revisit the forfeiture guidelines to ensure that our penalties are an effective deterrent.