Open government

US Senators John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) reintroduced the Network Equipment Transparency (NET) Act, a bipartisan bill to increase broadband supply chain transparency through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in order to ensure an on-time rollout of federal broadband programs. Broadband infrastructure projects have been affected by supply chain woes in the past.

Twice a year, in spring and fall, the Federal Communications Commission publishes a list in the Unified Agenda of those major items and other significant proceedings under development or review. Items listed here include:

As the 2022 elections essentially came to a close on December 6, 2022, then-Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) promised that the House of Representatives—under a new, Republican majority—would "conduct rigorous oversight of the federal government" in the 118th Congress.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the agenda for the January 26, 2023 Open Commission Meeting. The FCC will consider:

The Federal Communications Commission is soliciting nominations for membership on the Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC). Nominations for membership are due September 21, 2022. The FCC seeks nominations from interested nonprofit organizations, corporations, trade associations, government agencies, or other entities from both the public and private sectors, who wish to be considered for CAC membership for a two-year term of service. Selections will be made based on factors such as expertise and diversity of viewpoints that are necessary to effectively address the topics before the CAC.

Most broadband grant programs do not publish open grant applications for the public to see. But we are in a time when a broadband provider that is awarded funding for bringing a new broadband network is likely to become the near-monopoly provider in a rural area for a decade or two to come. The public ought to get to see who is proposing to bring them broadband so that these decisions are not made behind closed doors. It turns out that the Nebraska Public Service Commission posts grant applications online.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced the agenda for the FCC's August 5, 2022 Open Commission Meeting. The FCC will:

Incompas submitted comments in response to the Federal Communications Commission’s Public Notice that seeks input on the state of the communications marketplace to inform the FCC’s required assessment of the state of competition in the communications marketplace in its upcoming Communications Marketplace Report to Congress. Incompas states, in its comments:

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the July Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, July 14, 2022:

On March 12, 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Communications Commission restricted visitor access to its facilities to only those visitors with a clear operational necessity. In light of the improved pandemic conditions, updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that focuses on COVID-19 Community Levels and the associated Safer Federal Workforce Task Force guidance, beginning on June 9 the FCC will permit visitors with scheduled appointments, in conjunction with safety protocols identified by the Task Force, to enter its facilities.