So FCC, About that Competition Order

Federal Communications Commission Acting Chair Jessica Rosenworcel expressed general support for the items in President Biden’s big competition executive order, but as the commission still lacks a Democratic majority, she declined to say when the agency might act on it. Biden’s requests for the FCC include reinstating net neutrality rules, helping ensure apartment dwellers have a choice of internet providers and imposing broadband pricing transparency — all ideas she endorsed. She noted that a “full dais” (i.e., a Democratic majority, which will require Biden to nominate someone) could yield more options on tackling issues like net neutrality. Asked whether the White House consulted the FCC in drafting the order, Chairwoman Rosenworcel acknowledged that her agency has “informal conversations with lots of folks in Washington on Capitol Hill and in the administration. When they ask questions about existing FCC rules and policies, we are always quick to answer them and explain why things are the way they are. There’s no difference here.” The FCC, of course, is an independent agency not subject to directives from the White House. Ex-FCC General Counsel Tom Johnson, a Republican, called Biden’s order “much more aggressive” than Trump’s 2020 order seeking an FCC crackdown on social media (which itself raised eyebrows at the time) because Trump’s took the form of a Commerce Department petition. Such a petition would be “the right approach” for President Biden, too, “rather than going directly to the FCC,” said FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr.