FCC Falling Afoul of Key Senators

by Capitol Confidential

As the Federal Communications Commission pushes forward in crafting its national broadband plan—anticipated to encompass controversial net neutrality provisions— the agency is attracting newfound criticism from key members of the U.S. Senate, reports Congress Daily (via nextgov).

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Setting aside tersely-worded warnings from Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Sen. John (Jay) Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) regarding the prospect of the FCC submitting a broadband plan that is “complicated, esoteric, filled with grandiose ideas and dependent on protracted rulemaking to implement,” the Committee as a whole is reportedly concerned about the overly highbrow nature of discussions regarding the plan:

“There’s growing concern within the Senate Commerce Committee that the process has become too academic. Dozens of workshops designed to provide the public with an opportunity to learn about the plan and interact with the agency have featured Ph.D.-level policy discussions that even some telecom experts have difficultly understanding.”

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