House Commerce Committee Approves FCC Report Consolidation Bill

The House Commerce Committee voted to approve a bill that would consolidate eight Federal Communications Commission annual reports to Congress, including the video competition and cable price reports, into a single biennial report.

It also repeals the annual telegraph report still on the books, which became a symbol of the need for reform of the congressional reports. That unanimous voice vote followed the approval, also unanimous, of a bipartisan amendment added to address concerns by some FCC staffers. The amendment would give FCC chairmen installed in the last quarter of even years (when the biennial reports are due) a little more time to complete their portions of the report, and would also clarify that the bill does not impair the FCC's ability to issue other reports.