House approves Ellmers bill to make FCC rulemaking more transparent

The House of Representatives approved legislation on Monday that was introduced by U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) to make the FCC’s rulemaking process more transparent.

The bill, H.R. 2589, would amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require the FCC to publish changes to agency rules online within 24 hours of approval.

“It’s pretty simple — the public has a right to know what policies the FCC is enacting,” Ellmers said. “An agency composed of unelected bureaucrats shouldn’t be allowed to conduct its business in the dark — there should be a basic standard of transparency underpinning the FCC’s decision-making process and it should be one that encourages prompt publishing of the agency’s rule changes. I’m proud to say that my bipartisan legislation today will enforce this standard.” 

Ellmers added that she was grateful for the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s commitment to promote transparency within the FCC.

“This bill requires the FCC to publish text of the rules voted on within 24 hours of the filing of the last dissenting statements,” U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, said. “Improving the process at the FCC so that it operates in an effective and transparent manner holds the FCC accountable and targets their struggle to make its newly adopted rules available to the public in a timely fashion.”