FCC votes to close 11 field offices

The Federal Communications Commission voted on Thursday to close 11 field offices, following a contentious debate with lawmakers on the issue.

Chairman Tom Wheeler said that the decision to downsize and update the agency’s field operations was the result of budgetary pressure.

“This was a tough decision,” he said, “but we have to live within our realities. Congress has ordered that we spend less.”

{mosads}The plan eliminates 44 Enforcement Bureau positions, according to Bureau Chief Travis LeBlanc.

Though offices are closing in San Juan and Anchorage, the agency will keep a presence in Puerto Rico and Alaska.

Wheeler said the agency would help employees who lost their jobs because of the reorganization.

“This is the beginning of a process that will see that everyone is treated fairly in a difficult situation,” he said. “We will work with every affected employee to mitigate the impact.”

Agency officials portrayed the closures as part of a broader effort to modernize the way the FCC enforces violations in the field. They said it will refocus efforts to enforce against broadcast station interference.

The closures attracted the concern of lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Leaders on the House Energy and Commerce Committee reached an agreement last month to keep more offices open.

“Communities across America will continue to be served even as the commission becomes more efficient — it’s a win-win,” Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said in June.