Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Ranking Member Mike Doyle (D-PA) released the following statement today after the FCC voted along party lines to eliminate key consumer protections to help resolve informal complaints:
“Make no mistake, today’s rollback of key consumer protections will harm Americans who may now need to pay the FCC a $225 fee to do its job. Consumers - particularly vulnerable populations - will be worse off as a result of the FCC’s latest anti-consumer rule. Despite this anti-consumer rule change, we call on the career civil servants at the FCC to continue to act on behalf of consumers. The FCC has a duty to protect American consumers, which Chairman Pai has ignored time and time again."
Prior to today’s rollback by the FCC, agency staff studied complaints, determined what happened, and worked with providers to fix consumer problems. Today, the Commission adopted a rule that diminishes the FCC’s role in reviewing informal complaints and requires FCC staff only to pass them on to the company and advise consumers that they can file a formal complaint for a $225 fee if they are not satisfied with the company’s response.
Pallone and Doyle wrote to Chairman Pai earlier this week expressing their grave concern with the proposal and urged the FCC to reconsider.
