House passes bill to consolidate FCC reports

The House on Tuesday passed a measure to reduce the number of reports the Federal Communications Commission must submit to Congress every year.

The measure, passed 411-0, requires the FCC to submit a biennial report to the House Energy and Commerce Committee about the status of the communications marketplace. It would replace eight separate reports into one single report.

{mosads}The reports would include assessments of competition in the marketplace, communications capabilities and whether any regulations limit market competitiveness.

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), the bill’s sponsor, noted some FCC requirements are so outdated that they ask for reports about telegraphs.

“If you look at some of the reports that have been required for years that they’re supposed to go and consolidate and accumulate, they have reports on the telegraph. Competitiveness within the telegraph. Clearly, it’s been long past time that we update these laws,” Scalise said.

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said the consolidated report would be more efficient.

“By consolidating certain reports and eliminating references to other outdated reports, this bill allows the FCC to use the agency’s limited resources more wisely and present a more holistic analysis of the communications marketplace,” Pallone said.