The House Communications and Technology Subcommittee today will consider seven draft bills, offered by Republicans and Democrats, to improve process and transparency at the Federal Communications Commission. Ahead of today’s 2:00 p.m. markup, Katy on the Hill interviewed Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) about his longstanding efforts to improve accountability, efficiency, and transparency at the FCC as well as other work before the subcommittee. Excerpts from the piece are below.
Walden won’t give up on reforming the FCC
By Katy Bachman
When it comes to who in Congress has sway over media and tech issues, look no further than Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.). As chairman of the communications and technology subcommittee, Walden, a ham radio operator and former broadcaster, has been trying to get some changes at how the Federal Communications Commission does its business for the better part of three Congresses. And he’s not about to give up now.
Nor is Walden stopping with the FCC. The mild-mannered lawmaker is also ready to take on a rewrite of the entire communications law, the 80 year-old statute that hasn’t had an update since 1996-before the Internet and before mobile devices became a part of every day life.
KotH sat down with Walden before Wednesday’s mark up of 7 bills to reform FCC process. Among the changes proposed: require the agency to publish drafts of proposed rules before votes and immediately publish texts of final orders after votes.
You’ve been at FCC process reform for a while, but last month you really showed some frustration with the FCC and how it works. Why are you so fired up now?
I guess I get my dander up when I think an agency is running amuck. I just think you get better outcome on policy if you have a good process. Then at least people feel like they have an opportunity to make their case. Just some of things I’ve seen happen at the FCC, the way it’s being managed right now, isn’t as good as it could be.
Can any of the seven bills put forward get any headway?
We’ve moved from a position a year or two ago where the agency could do no wrong to [a recognition that] there are things we can do to improve the process. And you see that from members on both sides of the aisle coming forward with their ideas about how to make things more transparent, how to make the rules more available on a more timely basis. …
Read the full article online HERE.
**Electronic copies of the discussion drafts and a background memo can be found on the Energy and Commerce Committee’s website here. Amendments and votes will be available at the same link as they are posted.
