Walden & Blackburn Applaud Chairman Pai's Move to Increase Transparency at FCC

Statement

Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) today issued the following statement after Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai released the text of two proceedings for public comment.

"This is the type of transparency we've been urging the FCC to implement for the last several Congresses. Then-Commissioner Pai and Commissioner O'Rielly had long pushed for greater transparency during Chairman Wheeler's tenure, and we are pleased to see that just two weeks into Commissioner Pai's chairmanship we are already seeing positive changes at the commission," said Walden and Blackburn. "We applaud Chairman Pai's decision to release the text of the FCC's proposed AM revitalization and next generation broadcast items. We're glad to see these items being advanced and look forward to working with Chairman Pai to create a more open, transparent, and accountable FCC."

In January, the House of Representatives unanimously passed H.R. 290, the Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act of 2017, sponsored by Chairman Walden. H.R. 290 contained provisions that would make the FCC more efficient, transparent, and accountable through reforming the commission's processes and ensuring the FCC regulates in an innovative and dynamic way. Part of the bill included the transparency reform FCC Chairman Pai announced today.

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