Order Code RL32589
The Federal Communications Commission:
Current Structure and its Role in the
Changing Telecommunications Landscape
Updated April 11, 2008
Patricia Moloney Figliola
Specialist in Telecommunications and Internet Policy
Resources, Science, and Industry Division

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The Federal Communications Commission: Current
Structure and its Role in the Changing
Telecommunications Landscape
Summary

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent Federal
agency directly responsible to Congress. It was established by the Communications
Act of 1934 (1934 Act) and is charged with regulating interstate and international
communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. The mission of the
FCC is to ensure that the American people have available — at reasonable cost and
without discrimination — rapid, efficient, nation- and world-wide communication
services; whether by radio, television, wire, satellite, or cable.
Although the FCC has restructured over the past few years to better reflect the
industry, it is still required to adhere to the statutory requirements of its governing
legislation, the Communications Act of 1934. The 1934 Act requires the FCC to
regulate the various industry sectors differently. Some policymakers have been
critical of the FCC and the manner in which it regulates various sectors of the
telecommunications industry — telephone, cable television, radio and television
broadcasting, and some aspects of the Internet. These policymakers, including some
in Congress, have long called for varying degrees and types of reform to the FCC.
Most proposals fall into two categories: (1) procedural changes made within the FCC
or through Congressional action that would affect the agency’s operations or (2)
substantive policy changes requiring Congressional action that would affect how the
agency regulates different services and industry sectors. During the 110th Congress,
policymakers may continue efforts begun in the 109th Congress to restructure the
FCC.

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Contents
Recent FCC-Related Congressional and Other Government Action . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Hearings: 110th Congress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Government Accountability Office Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
FCC Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
FY2009 Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
FY2008 Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
FY2007 Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Overview of the FCC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
FCC Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
FCC Strategic Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Broadband . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Spectrum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Public Safety and Homeland Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
FCC Modernization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Proposals for Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Potential Procedural Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Adoption/Release of Orders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Sunshine Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Timeliness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Enforcement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Potential Substantive Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Additional Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
List of Tables
Table 1. FCC Appropriations, FY1999-FY2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

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The Federal Communications Commission:
Current Structure and its Role in the
Changing Telecommunications Landscape
Recent FCC-Related Congressional and Other
Government Action
The 110th Congress assigned responsibility for Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) appropriations process to the Subcommittee on Financial
Services within the Committee on Appropriations.
Hearings: 110th Congress
On February 1, 2007, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation held a hearing titled, “Assessing the Communications Marketplace:
A View from the FCC.” A number of issues were discussed, including the state of
broadband deployment; public interest obligations of broadcasters; merger approvals;
localism; the digital divide; airtime for political candidates; and media violence.
On March 14 and July 24, 2007, the House Committee on Energy and
Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet held oversight
hearings with the FCC Commissioners as witnesses; on December 13, 2007, the
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation also held an oversight
hearing. Topics discussed at these hearings included the often long periods of time
the FCC takes to respond to petitions and consumer complaints, the commission’s
video franchising rules, the AT&T-BellSouth merger, the National Security Agency’s
surveillance program, and cable “a la carte” proposals.
On April 17, 2007, and April 9, 2008, the House Committee on Appropriations
Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government held hearings on the
FCC’s FY2008 and FY2009 budget requests, respectively.
Government Accountability Office Study
In September 2007, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a
study, conducted in response to a Congressional request, on the FCC’s rulemaking
process. Specifically, the GAO studied four rulemakings as case studies to determine

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the extent to which the FCC followed the steps for rulemakings required by law,
including those related to public participation.1
The GAO found that while the FCC generally followed the rulemaking process
in the four case studies and most ex parte filings complied with FCC rules, several
stakeholders had access to nonpublic information. For example, in discussions with
some stakeholders that regularly participate in FCC rulemakings, multiple
stakeholders generally knew when the commission scheduled votes on proposed rules
well before FCC notified the public, even though FCC rules prohibit disclosing this
information outside of FCC. Other stakeholders said that they could not learn when
rules were scheduled for a vote until FCC released the public meeting agenda, at
which time FCC rules prohibit stakeholders from lobbying FCC. As a result,
stakeholders with advance information about which rules are scheduled for a vote
would know when it would be most effective to lobby FCC, while stakeholders
without this information would not.
The GAO recommended that, to ensure a fair and transparent rulemaking
process, the chairman of the FCC take steps to ensure equal access to information,
particularly in regard to the disclosure of information about proposed rules that are
scheduled to be considered by the commission, by developing and maintaining (1)
procedures to ensure that nonpublic information will not be disclosed and (2) a series
of actions that will occur if the information is disclosed, such as referral to the
Inspector General and providing the information to all stakeholders.
FCC Budget
Beginning in the 110th Congress, the FCC is funded through the Financial
Services (House) and Financial Services and General Government (Senate)
appropriations process as a single line item. Previously, it was funded through what
is now the Commerce, Justice, Science appropriations process, also as a single line
item. Most of the FCC’s budget is derived from regulatory fees collected by the
agency rather than through a direct appropriation. Table 1 on the following page
lists the total appropriation, direct appropriation, and regulatory fees offset for
FY1999-FY2008.
1 The FCC generally begins the rulemaking process by releasing a Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, or “NPRM,” and establishing a docket to gather information submitted by the
public or developed within the FCC to support the proposed rule. Outside parties are
permitted to meet with FCC staff, but must file a disclosure in the docket, called an ex parte
filing, that includes any new data or arguments presented at the meeting. Once the FCC
staff has analyzed information in the docket and drafted a final rule, the Commissioners vote
on whether to adopt it. The FCC chairman decides which rules the commission will
consider and whether to adopt them by vote at a public meeting or by circulating them to
each commissioner for approval. Stakeholders unsatisfied with a rule may file a petition for
reconsideration with the commission or petition for review in federal court.

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FY2009 Budget
The Commission has requested a budget of $338,874,783 for FY2009. As in
prior years, the Commission proposes to receive a direct appropriation of $1,000,000
and to raise the remainder, or $337,874,783, through regulatory fees.
FY2008 Budget
The President signed a budget for the FCC of $313 million, with a direct
appropriation of $1 million and the remainder to be collected through regulatory fees
(P.L. 110-161, H.Rept. 110-197, S.Rept. 110-128).2
FY2007 Budget
President Bush signed the fourth Continuing Resolution (CR) (P.L. 110-5) on
February 15, 2007. That CR provides funding at the FY2006 level through
September 30, 2007. For FY2007, the House recommended a budget of $294.261
million (of that figure, $293.261 million is to be collected through regulatory fees,
with a direct appropriation of $1.0 million) (see H.Rept. 109-520); the Senate
Committee on Appropriations recommended a budget of $301.500 million, all of
which is to be collected through regulatory fees (i.e., no direct appropriation) (see
S.Rept. 109-280).
Table 1. FCC Appropriations, FY1999-FY2009
($ in millions)
Total
Direct
Regulatory Fees
Fiscal
Appropriation
Appropriation
Offset
Year
Requested
Enacted Requested Enacted Requested
Enacted
Actual
1999
212.9
192.0
40.4
19.5
172.5
172.5
172.5
2000
230.8
209.9
45.1
24.1
185.8
185.8
185.8
2001
237.1
230.0
37.0
29.9
200.1
200.1
200.1
2002
248.5
245.1
29.8
26.3
218.8
218.8
218.8
2003
278.1
271.0
29.9
2.0
248.2
269.0
265.7
2004
280.8
274.0
28.8
1.0
251.9
273.0
285.0
2005
293.0
281.1
20.0
1.0
273.0
280.1
292.9
2006
304.0
289.8
4.8
1.0
299.2
288.8
N/A
2007
327.5
291.2
26.0
1.0
301.5
290.2
N/A
2008
313.0
313.0
1.0
1.0
312.0
313.0
N/A
2009
338.9
N/A
1.0
N/A
337.9
N/A
N/A
2 $21.7 million above FY2007 and the same as the President’s budget request.

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CRS-4
Overview of the FCC
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent Federal
agency directly responsible to Congress. It was established by the Communications
Act of 1934 (1934 Act or “Communications Act)3 and is charged with regulating
interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and
cable.4 The mission of the FCC is to ensure that the American people have available,
“without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex,
a rapid, efficient, Nationwide, and worldwide wire and radio communication service
with adequate facilities at reasonable charges.”5
The 1934 Act is divided into titles and sections that describe various powers and
concerns of the Commission:6
! Title I — FCC administration and powers. The 1934 Act originally
called for a commission consisting of seven members, but that
number was reduced to five in 1983. Commissioners are appointed
by the President and approved by the Senate to serve five-year terms;
the President designates one member to serve as chairman. No more
than three commissioners may come from the political party of the
President. Title I empowers the Commission to create divisions or
bureaus responsible for specific work assigned and to structure itself
as it chooses.
3 The Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C. §151 et seq., has been amended numerous
times, most significantly in recent years by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, P.L. 104-
104, 110 Stat. 56 (1996). References in this report are to the 1934 Act, as amended, unless
indicated. A compendium of communications-related laws is available from the House
Committee on Energy and Commerce at [http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/
pubs/108-D.pdf]. It includes selected Acts within the jurisdiction of the Committee,
including the Communications Act of 1934, Telecommunications Act of 1996,
Communications Satellite Act of 1962, National Telecommunications and Information
Administration Organizations Act, Telephone Disclosure and Dispute Resolution Act,
Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, as well as additional
communications statutes and selected provisions from the United States Code. The
compendium was last amended on December 31, 2002.
4 See About the FCC, available online at [http://www.fcc.gov/aboutus.html].
5 47 U.S.C. §151.
6 When Congress established the FCC in 1934, it merged responsibilities previously
assigned to the Federal Radio Commission, the Interstate Commerce Commission, and the
Postmaster General into a single agency, divided into three bureaus, Broadcast, Telegraph,
and Telephone. See Analysis of the Federal Communications Commission, Fritz Messere,
available online at [http://www.oswego.edu/~messere/FCC1.html] and the Museum of
Broadcast Communications Archive at [http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/F/htmlF/
federalcommu/federalcommu.htm] for additional information on the history of the FCC.

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CRS-5
! Title II — Common carrier regulation, primarily telephone
regulation, including circuit-switched telephone services offered by
cable companies. Common carriers are communication companies
that provide facilities for transmission but do not originate messages,
such as telephone and microwave providers. The 1934 Act limits
FCC regulation to interstate and international common carriers,
although a joint federal-state board coordinates regulation between
the FCC and state regulatory commissions.
! Title III — Broadcast station requirements. Much existing broadcast
regulation was established prior to 1934 by the Federal Radio
Commission and most provisions of the Radio Act of 1927 were
subsumed into Title III of the 1934 Act. Sections 303-307 define
many of the powers given to the FCC with respect to broadcasting;
other sections define limitations placed upon it. For example, section
326 of Title III prevents the FCC from exercising censorship over
broadcast stations. Also, parts of the U.S. code are linked to the
Communications Act. For example, 18 U.S.C. 464 makes obscene
or indecent language over a broadcast station illegal.
! Title IV — Procedural and administrative provisions, such as
hearings, joint boards, judicial review of the FCC’s orders, petitions,
and inquiries.
! Title V — Penal provisions and forfeitures, such as violations of
rules and regulations.
! Title VI — Cable communications, such as the use of cable channels
and cable ownership restrictions, franchising, and video
programming services provided by telephone companies.
! Title VII — Miscellaneous provisions and powers, such as war
powers of the President, closed captioning of public service
announcements, and telecommunications development fund.
FCC Structure
The FCC is directed by five Commissioners appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate for five-year terms (except when filling an unexpired term).
The President designates one of the Commissioners to serve as Chairperson. Only
three Commissioners may be members of the same political party. None of them can
have a financial interest in any Commission-related business. The current
Commissioners are Kevin Martin (Chairman, term expires November 2011);
Jonathan Adelstein (term expires December 2009); Michael Copps (term expires
December 2010); Deborah Taylor Tate (term expires June 2007); and Robert
McDowell (term expires June 2009).7
7 Additional information about the Commissioners can be found online at
(continued...)

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The day-to-day functions of the FCC are carried out by six bureaus and 10
offices. The current structure of the FCC was established in 2002 as part of the
agency’s effort to better reflect the industries it regulates. The bureaus process
applications for licenses and other filings, analyze complaints, conduct
investigations, develop and implement regulatory programs, and participate in
hearings, among other things. The offices provide support services. Bureaus and
offices often collaborate when addressing FCC issues.8 The Bureaus hold the
following responsibilities:
! Wireline Competition Bureau — Administers the FCC’s policies
concerning common carriers — the companies that provide long
distance and local service to consumers and businesses. These
companies provide services such as voice, data, and other
telecommunication transmission services.
! Enforcement Bureau — Enforces FCC rules, orders, and
authorizations.
! Wireless Telecommunications Bureau — Handles all FCC domestic
wireless telecommunications programs and policies.9 Wireless
communications services include cellular, paging, personal
communications services, public safety, and other commercial and
private radio services. This bureau also is responsible for
implementing the competitive bidding authority for spectrum
auctions.
! Media Bureau — Develops, recommends, and administers the policy
and licensing programs relating to electronic media, including cable
television, broadcast television and radio in the United States and its
territories.
! Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau — Addresses all types
of consumer-related matters from answering questions and
responding to consumer complaints to distributing consumer
education materials.
! International Bureau — Administers the FCC’s international
telecommunications policies and obligations.
! Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau — Addresses issues
such as public safety communications, alert and warning of U.S.
7 (...continued)
[http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/].
8 FCC Fact Sheet, available online at [http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/
aboutfcc.html].
9 Except those involving satellite communications broadcasting, including licensing,
enforcement, and regulatory functions. These functions are handled by the International
Bureau.

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citizens, continuity of government operations and continuity of
operations planning, and disaster management coordination and
outreach.10
The only FCC office that conducts regulatory proceedings is the Office of
Engineering and Technology, which advises the FCC on engineering matters.
However, the Office of Administrative Law Judges also conducts hearings and issues
initial decisions. Other offices are the Office of Communication Business
Opportunities, Office of the General Counsel, Office of the Inspector General, Office
of Legislative Affairs, Office of the Managing Director, Office of Media Relations,
Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis, and Office of Workplace
Diversity.11
FCC Strategic Plan
In 2003, the FCC adopted a five-year strategic plan promoting six goals relating
to broadband, competition, spectrum, media, homeland security, and FCC
modernization. In September 2005, the FCC updated this plan with new descriptions
of each goal and incorporating “public safety” into its homeland security goal.12 The
latest status report on the strategic plan was presented at an FCC open meeting on
January 17, 2008.13
Broadband. All Americans should have affordable access to robust and
reliable broadband products and services. Regulatory policies must promote
technological neutrality, competition, investment, and innovation to ensure that
broadband service providers have sufficient incentive to develop and offer such
products and services.14
Competition. Competition in the provision of communications services, both
domestically and overseas, supports the Nation’s economy. The competitive
framework for communications services should foster innovation and offer
consumers reliable, meaningful choice in affordable services.15
10 For additional information on this bureau, which was formally established in September
2006, please refer to [http://www.fcc.gov/pshs/].
11 Responsibilities of each of the offices is detailed online at the FCC website at
[http://www.fcc.gov/aboutus.html].
12 The FCC Strategic Plans for FY2003-FY2008 and FY2006-FY2011 are available online
at [http://www.fcc.gov/omd/strategicplan/]. The Strategic Plans provide a good reference
for the background, mission, and general goals of the FCC. The Strategic Plan also contains
a more detailed breakdown and discussion of each of the objectives that comprise each goal.
13 The presentations for this meeting are available online at [http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio/
presentations/2008/011708/].
14 FCC Strategic Plan, FY2006-FY2011, p. 3
15 Ibid.

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Spectrum. Efficient and effective use of non-federal spectrum domestically
and internationally promotes the growth and rapid deployment of innovative and
efficient communications technologies and services.16
Media. The Nation’s media regulations must promote competition and
diversity and facilitate the transition to digital modes of delivery.17
Public Safety and Homeland Security. Communications during
emergencies and crises must be available for public safety, health, defense, and
emergency personnel, as well as all consumers in need. The Nation’s critical
communications infrastructure must be reliable, interoperable, redundant, and rapidly
restorable.18
FCC Modernization. The FCC shall strive to be a highly productive,
adaptive, and innovative organization that maximizes the benefit to stakeholders,
staff, and management from effective systems, processes, resources, and
organizational culture.
Proposals for Change
Proposals for change at the FCC can be characterized as either “procedural”
changes that focus on the manner in which the agency conducts its business or
“substantial” changes that focus on the manner in which the FCC regulates the
communications industry.
Potential Procedural Changes
Some of procedural changes under consideration would require new legislation
(e.g., Sunshine rules), while others could be achieved through internal FCC action.
Adoption/Release of Orders. The FCC often adopts orders and issues press
releases with a summary of the order weeks or even months prior to releasing the
order itself. For example, the Triennial Review, which dealt with controversial
issues relating to competition in the local telecommunications market, and the 800
MHz order, which dealt with controversial and technically complicated issues related
to interference to public safety communications, were released six months and one
month, respectively, after they were officially adopted by the Commission. Some
congressional policymakers have discussed instituting a “shot clock,” which would
require the FCC to issue the actual order within a set time frame after it adopts the
order and issues a press release.
16 Ibid.
17 Ibid.
18 Ibid.

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Sunshine Rules. Under current “sunshine laws,”19 only two commissioners
may meet outside the construct of an official “open meeting.” While such a
requirement, in theory, promotes open discussion of issues under consideration, in
reality, most Commission business is conducted by circulating drafts of orders for
comment. Further, the open meeting requirement may actually hinder discussion
among the commissioners, especially in cases where the disagreement on the draft
is significant. In such cases, it might be possible for further compromise if a third or
fourth commissioner could be involved in the discussion. While the FCC cannot
institute such changes without Congressional amendment to current sunshine
requirements, it could be useful to study how other agencies, which do not employ
circulation as much as the FCC, work through contentious issues on their agendas.
Senator Ted Stevens, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, has stated that he believes the current sunshine requirements “push
too much power to the staff, and it does not allow more than two commissioners to
be in the same room at one time ... it really is the sunshine law gone awry.”20
At a February 1, 2007, hearing on the state of the communications industry,
Senator Ted Stevens mentioned that he and Senator Daniel Inouye planned to
introduce a bill that would exempt the FCC from certain provisions of the
Government in the Sunshine Act, which currently prohibits more than two
commissioners from meeting to discuss a pending issue. In the 109th Congress, H.R.
5252, reported out of the committee in June 2006, contained provisions that would
have allowed all members of the commission or at least one member of the political
party whose members are in the minority to meet in private.
Timeliness. Some of the basic work of the FCC affects the every day function
of the telecommunication industry (e.g., license transfers for mergers and sales and
license renewals). Some policymakers have expressed concern that these processes
take too long to complete. Similar to views concerning more complicated regulatory
actions such as rulemaking proceedings, these policymakers believe there should be
a strict time limit on how long these actions may take to complete. Such time limits,
they state, would provide further operational certainty within the industry.
Enforcement. Enforcement of agency rules is currently the responsibility of
the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau. Previously, enforcement responsibilities were held
by a division within each bureau. For example, enforcement of slamming was done
19 The Government in the Sunshine Act, P.L. 94-409, was passed in 1976. It requires that
all federal agencies with units that work independently of each other hold their meetings in
public session. The bill explicitly defined meetings as essentially any gathering. Many
federal agencies, most notably the independent regulatory agencies, including the FCC, are
headed by multiple commissioners. These agencies make most of their decisions through
discussions and voting by the board or commission members. This law was created so that
these meetings would be in the public domain for all to review. Additional information on
this law is available online at [http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1161139].
20 “Stevens to Continue Listening Sessions, But Sees Telecommunications Bill by July,”
Daily Report for Executives, No. 51, March 17, 2005, Page A-1. This article is available
o n l i n e a t [ h t t p : / / i p p u b s . b n a . c o m / I P / B N A / d e r . n s f / S e a r c h A l l V i e w /
96C56942C092C93B85256FC70014F11F?Open&highlight=FCC,SUNSHINE].

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by a division within what was then the Common Carrier Bureau (now called the
Wireline Competition Bureau). Some policymakers have questioned whether the
current “unified” structure is more effective than the previous “diversified” structure
and have suggested studying the issue.
Potential Substantive Changes
While the changes discussed above could be made by the FCC absent
Congressional action, other, more significant changes would likely require the
passage of legislation. In fact, the FCC has restructured over the past few years to
better reflect the telecommunications industry, but it is still required to adhere to the
statutory requirements of its governing legislation, the Communications Act of 1934.
Title I of the 1934 Act gives the FCC the authority to structure itself in the manner
it believes will allow it to best fulfill its responsibilities; however, from a practical
standpoint, the FCC may not be able to restructure to the extent needed to implement
significant changes unless changes are made to the 1934 Act itself.
Some policymakers have been critical of the FCC and the manner in which it
regulates various sectors of the telecommunications industry — telephone, cable
television, radio and television broadcasting, and some aspects of the Internet. These
policymakers, including some in Congress, and various interest group and think tank
experts, have long called for varying degrees and types of reform to the FCC. Some
have called for significantly downsizing the agency by eliminating its regulatory
functions and transforming it into an enforcement agency.21 Others have suggested
abolishing the agency and parceling out its functions to other agencies.22 Others still
call for more regulation (e.g., indecency).
For additional information about changes to the regulation of various
telecommunications services, see CRS Report RS22444, Net Neutrality: Background
and Issues, by Angele A. Gilroy, and CRS Report RL33034, Telecommunications
Act: Competition, Innovation, and Reform, by Charles B. Goldfarb.
Additional Reading
CRS Report RS22444, Net Neutrality: Background and Issues, by Angele A. Gilroy
21 See, for example, “How to Reform the FCC”, by Randolph J. May, June 21, 2004,
available online at [http://news.com.com/How+to+reform+the+FCC/2010-1071_
3-5236715.html].
22 For example, under such a scenario, the FCC would no longer be responsible for
reviewing and approving mergers between companies; instead, the Department of Justice
would provide anti-trust review. See, e.g., “Why the FCC Should Die,” by Declan
McCullagh, June 7, 2004, available online at [http://news.com.com/2010-1028-
5226979.html ]; and “Law and Disorder in Cyberspace: Abolish the FCC and Let Common
Law Rule the Telecosm,” 1997, information available online at
[http://www.phuber.com/huber/cl/cl.htm].

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CRS Report RL33034, Telecommunications Act: Competition, Innovation, and
Reform, by Charles B. Goldfarb
CRS Report RL33542, Broadband Internet Regulation and Access: Background and
Issues, by Angele A. Gilroy and Lennard G. Kruger.

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