FCC Reform

(a)

In General

The Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 5 the following new section:

5A.

Public participation and Commission decisionmaking

(a)

Reform Measures

The Commission shall promulgate regulations in accordance with the following: (1)Except as provided in the third sentence of section 553(b) of title 5, United States Code, before adopting, modifying, or deleting a final regulation, the Commission— (A)shall publish the specific language of the proposed regulation, modification, or deletion; (B)shall provide at least 30 days for the submission of comments and an additional 30 days for the submission of reply comments on such proposed regulation, modification, or deletion; and (C)shall provide at least 30 days following the deadline for the submission of reply comments for agency consideration on the record on such proposed regulation, modification, or deletion. (2)The Commission shall ensure that members of the Commission have adequate time, prior to being required to decide an issue (including at a meeting held pursuant to section 5(d)), to review the proposed Commission decision document, including any specific language that is proposed to be adopted as, modified in, or deleted from a regulation. (3)The Commission shall establish deadlines for any Commission order, decision, report, or action for each of the various categories of petitions, applications, complaints, and other filings seeking Commission action. (4)The Commission shall publish any order, decision, report, or action of the Commission within 30 days after the date of the adoption of such order, decision, report, or action. (5)The Commission shall notify by letter the chairpersons and ranking members of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate— (A)indicating that an order, decision, report, or action of the Commission was not published within 30 days after the date of the adoption of such order, decision, report, or action; (B)identifying such order, decision, report, or action; and (C)describing the reason for the delay.

The Commission shall update by letter such chairpersons and ranking members every 14 days until the publication of such order, decision, report, or action.

(6)For any year in which the Commission was required to provide a notice pursuant to paragraph (5), the Commission shall publish an annual report containing detailed statistics concerning the delay between the adoption and the publication of any such order, decision, report, or action. (7)The Commission shall publish on a weekly basis a summary list of documents containing proposed decisions pending review by the Commission. For all such decisions on such list for more than 60 days, the Commission shall also name any Commissioners who have not cast a vote on such decision. (b)

Statistical reports schedule

(1)

In general

The Commission shall catalog, identify, and publish the anticipated release schedule for all statistical reports regularly or intermittently published by the Commission and shall thereafter publish such schedule at least annually. (2)

Notification of delay

The Commission shall notify by letter the chairpersons and ranking members of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate— (A)indicating that a statistical report was not published within 60 days after the date specified in the anticipated release schedule published under paragraph (1); (B)identifying such report; and (C)describing the reason for such delay.

The Commission shall update by letter such chairpersons and ranking members every 30 days until the publication of such report.

(c)

Definition

For the purposes of this section, the term regulation has the meaning given the term rule in section 551(4) of title 5, United States Code.

(b)

Effective dates

(1)

Reform Measures

The Federal Communications Commission shall carry out section 5A(a) of the Communications Act of 1934 (as added by subsection (a)) within 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act. (2)

Statistical Reports Schedule

The Federal Communications Commission shall carry out section 5A(b) of the Communications Act of 1934 (as added by subsection (a)) within 3 months after the date of enactment of this Act. (3)

Exception

Notwithstanding paragraph (1), in promulgating rules to carry out section 5A(a) of the Communications Act of 1934 (as added by subsection (a)), the Federal Communications Commission shall comply with the requirements of paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) of section 5A(a) of the Communications Act of 1934 (as added by subsection (a)).