House Passes Legislation including Rep. Rick Allen‘s Language to Increase Government Transparency and Accountability in RulemakingWASHINGTON, DC –Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed by voice-vote H.R. 2583, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Process Reform Act - legislation authored by Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-IL). H.R. 2583 includes additional legislation introduced earlier this year by Kinzinger and Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA). That legislation, the FCC Transparency Act, would require the FCC to publish the draft of any item that is circulating on a vote onto the internet before the Commission is able to vote on its final passage. “The House passed important bipartisan legislation today to ensure transparency of the FCC,” said Congressman Allen. “Too often we see bureaucratic agencies making secretive decisions that affect Americans. This is just not right. All Americans should be able to review and voice their concerns on FCC rules. After all, these rules impact everyday Americans and their voice should be heard.” “I am glad that the House of Representatives has come together to pass this legislation that will increase transparency, efficiency, and accountability at the FCC,” said Congressman Kinzinger. “We can all support the notion that all American people, and not just the lobbyists and corporations, should have access and input on the FCC rules that impact our daily life. I appreciate Congressman Allen’s work on this effort to ensure the American public has a voice in their own government.”
Background Information: On June 1, 2015, Congressmen Kinzinger and Allen introduced H.R. 2592, the FCC Transparency Act, to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission to publish on the website of the Commission documents to be voted on by the Commission. On June 3, 2015, H.R. 2583, the FCC Process Reform Act, was passed out of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce by a bipartisan vote of 30-18. More information about the legislation, authored by Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), can be found here.
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