Remarks Of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai At The Hudson Institute, The Importance Of Economic Analysis At The FCC

I’m here to discuss the role of economics at the Federal Communications Commission. The state of the FCC’s economic analysis and data collection is not where it needs to be. There are four key problems: 1) economists are not systemically incorporated into policy work at the FCC; 2) economists work in silos; 3) cost-benefit analysis is largely ignored; 4) the FCC has often used data poorly.

So today, I’m launching a plan to fix it. Specifically, I’m pleased to announce that I am beginning a process to establish an Office of Economics and Data, or OED. This Office will combine economists and other data professionals from around the Commission. I envision it providing economic analysis for rulemakings, transactions, and auctions; managing the Commission’s data resources; and conducting longer-term research on ways to improve the Commission’s policies.