A Modest Proposal for Restructuring the Federal Communications Commission

At a time when the FCC is in the process of implementing the massive 1996 Telecommunications Act, a number of commentators have been calling for drastic change in the agency\u27s structure. There most certainly are legitimate questions about how the modern FCC should be organized. A single-administrator model, which has been successful in the United Kingdom, could provide a more stable and predictable regulatory environment than currently exists. The advantages of a single administrator over a multimember commission are substantial and provide a conservative alternative to calls for the elimination of the agency. Such change would enable the FCC to operate in a more efficient and effective manner

A Modest Proposal for Restructuring the Federal Communications Commission

At a time when the FCC is in the process of implementing the massive 1996 Telecommunications Act, a number of commentators have been calling for drastic change in the agency\u27s structure. There most certainly are legitimate questions about how the modern FCC should be organized. A single-administrator model, which has been successful in the United Kingdom, could provide a more stable and predictable regulatory environment than currently exists. The advantages of a single administrator over a multimember commission are substantial and provide a conservative alternative to calls for the elimination of the agency. Such change would enable the FCC to operate in a more efficient and effective manner

Congress and the Federal Communications Commission: The Continuing Contest for Power

This article discusses the changing relationship between Congress and the Federal Communications Commission. The authors suggest that the Commission\u27s status as an independent agency has been eroded by the emergence of a new system of checks and balances imposed by Congress. The use of riders on appropriations bills and the enactment of statutory moratoriums have served to increase Congressional involvement in, and control over, Commission decision-making. After discussing specific examples of how these new tools of legislative oversight have affected major Commission decisions, the authors conclude that the challenge for the Commission in the future will be to learn from its mistakes and work to restore its lost independence

Congress and the Federal Communications Commission: The Continuing Contest for Power

This article discusses the changing relationship between Congress and the Federal Communications Commission. The authors suggest that the Commission\u27s status as an independent agency has been eroded by the emergence of a new system of checks and balances imposed by Congress. The use of riders on appropriations bills and the enactment of statutory moratoriums have served to increase Congressional involvement in, and control over, Commission decision-making. After discussing specific examples of how these new tools of legislative oversight have affected major Commission decisions, the authors conclude that the challenge for the Commission in the future will be to learn from its mistakes and work to restore its lost independence