Rep Waters Introduces FCC Reform Bill

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) has introduced the FCC Merging Entities Regulatory Guidance and Ethical Reform (MERGER) Act of 2011, a bill that would authorize the Federal Communications Commission to require public disclosure of contributions received by any party that submits comments to a merger, rulemaking or adjudicatory proceeding. It would also prevent FCC officials from accepting employment with a company within one year of presiding over a decision involving that company. The MERGER bill is aimed at countering Republican reform efforts Rep Waters and other Democrats have suggested are meant to tie the FCC's regulatory hands in merger reviews and other proceedings.