FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said he hopes to make the agency more transparent and accessible to the American public. Primarily, Pai wants to ensure that FCC documents are available earlier in the process ahead of votes and/or adoption by the Commission.
“The text of a document that the FCC votes on at its monthly meetings is sent to Commissioners at least three weeks before the vote, but it isn’t released publicly until after the vote takes place. This is precisely the opposite of transparency,” said Pai.
“The best that average Americans will get is selective disclosures authorized by the Chairman’s Office. More often, the public is kept completely in the dark.”
Beginning immediately, Pai will make Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRMs) and Reports and Order available to the public the same time they are given to Commissioners. This gives the public time to assess any proposed rules before the FCC discusses them.
Pai is piloting this program to see how it works ahead of the Commission’s scheduled Feb. 23 meeting. Pai also hopes to make sure all agenda items for monthly Commission meetings are available well in advance of this meetings.
If these tests go well, Pai will make it FCC policy.
“My goal is a simple but powerful one: equal access to the administrative process,” concluded Pai.
