The House Communications Subcommittee will mark up (amend and vote on) the FCC Consolidated Reporting Act of 2015.
According to the draft up for discussion, the legislation would consolidate a number of reports into one, including the Sec. 706 report that the FCC has been using to justify actions promoting broadband deployment, including net neutrality rules and plans to preempt state laws limiting broadband.
The bill would tighten the language on Sec. 706 and its authorization of regulation to advance telecommunications buildouts.
The consolidated report would look at competition as well as deployment, including barriers to entry by small businesses.
"The FCC Consolidated Reporting Act of 2015 aims to reduce the reporting workload and increase efficiency at the Federal Communications Commission. The legislation would consolidate a number of existing reports required by law into a single, comprehensive report on the state of the communications marketplace," the Subcommittee said.
“This bill is another important step in our efforts to cut red tape and modernize the FCC as we bring our laws firmly into the 21st century,” said Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.), long a proponent of FCC reforms, including consolidating reports. “A more efficient FCC will encourage further innovation, investment, and job creation, things that we can all get behind.”
