Industry hailed House passage of FCC process reform legislation (HR-3309),...
Industry hailed House passage of FCC process reform legislation (HR-3309), though Senate Democrats have no plans to take up the bill and President Barack Obama opposes it. The House passed the bill late Tuesday in a 247-174 roll-call vote, with…
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most Republicans supporting and most Democrats opposing, as expected (CD March 28 p3). “Passage by the House is a needed step forward, and is also an important signal of support for modernizing telecom regulation,” said AT&T Executive Vice President Tim McKone. “It has become increasingly clear that, for America to have the world-class broadband infrastructure it needs, all of us must rethink outmoded regulations and outdated mindsets.” NCTA President Michael Powell said, “The regulatory framework envisioned by this reform legislation will ensure that private enterprise can continue to invest and innovate with more consistent and precise federal government oversight.” FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has made many good changes, but “more can always be done to bring greater transparency to the process and encourage more public input,” the Independent Telephone & Telecommunications Alliance said. NARUC praised the bill for requiring the FCC to release specific language in proposed rules for public comment and for letting more than two FCC commissioners meet behind closed doors, including meetings with state officials. NARUC asked the Senate to add language allowing FCC members to appoint an engineer or computer scientist to their staffs. NARUC also seeks changes to the forbearance process so a petition can’t be “deemed granted” when the FCC misses its deadline, it said. The House accepted amendments to HR-3309 related to public safety and emergency response that were offered by Reps. Al Green, D-Texas, and Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., as well as an amendment by Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Florida, to make FCC handling of Freedom of Information Act requests more transparent. The House rejected by 179-238 an amendment by House Communications Subcommittee Ranking Member Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., to require greater political disclosure by radio and TV stations and subscription-video providers. Republicans also turned down an amendment about rural broadband by Rep. Bill Owens, D-N.Y., an amendment about baby monitor warnings by Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., and an amendment by Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif., requiring an FCC report before implementation of HR-3309.