Political Quotes

“Thank you to my colleague and friend, Anna Eshoo, the ranking member of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 3309, the FCC Process Reform Act. This legislation would place severe procedural burdens on the FCC at a time when telecommunications is such a major part of the lives of my constituents and the American public. H.R. 3309 would create harmful restrictions on the FCC's ability to enact consumer protections, and it could also limit the Agency's ability to respond to communications-related emergencies and cybersecurity threats. One of the restrictions imposed by H.R. 3309 is a requirement that the FCC issue a Notice of Inquiry before the Agency begins work on an actual rulemaking unless the FCC can demonstrate that a Notice of Inquiry is not necessary. A Notice of Inquiry, Mr. Chairman, is basically an information-gathering exercise that lets the public know about the FCC's intention to examine an issue and collects initial comments from stakeholders. While in many cases a Notice of Inquiry is a very important part of the FCC's rulemaking process, a congressional mandate to conduct a Notice of Inquiry in every FCC proceeding would be an enormous procedural burden for the Agency. Mr. Chairman, I'm concerned that the potential impacts of this legislation have not been fully considered.…”