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House Votes to Curtail FCC Powers, But Obama Hints at Veto

Article Comments  8  

Mar 29, 2012, 12:27 PM   by Eric M. Zeman
updated Mar 29, 2012, 12:28 PM

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed HR 3309, the FCC Process Reform Act of 2012. The act, as it is written, would limit the Federal Communications Commission's ability to draft rules or block transactions. In order to have any sort of effect on transactions, the FCC would have to "analyze the specified market failure, actual consumer harm, burden of existing regulation, or failure of public institutions that warrants the rule or amendment; and determine that the benefits justify its costs." The FCC has recently flexed its muscle by blocking the proposed AT&T/T-Mobile acquisition and asserting net neutrality rules. The House is controlled by Republicans, however, and the Democrat-led Senate will likely not approve the bill. Additionally, the Obama administration argued the bill "would harm the Federal Government's ability to promote the most effective competitive outcome in any given transaction involving communications firms." The bill is on its way to the Senate, but there's no indication when the Senate will vote on it.

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jump454

Mar 30, 2012, 10:29 AM

who would have policed this situation then?

this is a genuine question. who would have been in charge of accepting or denying this transaction? im not all that knowledgable of the government.
Tofuchong

Mar 29, 2012, 2:51 PM

Proof

This is further proof that republicans hate a fair and level playing field, and will use whatever tactics they can, no matter how devious, to get what they want.
Interesting concept. I will say that Conservatives are for reduced government intervention in the private sector, so what you see as devious behavior may just be an effort to remain true to themselves. Not certain that this bill will be a help or hi...
(continues)
...
Ever since after Ronald Reagan, Republicans always seem to be on the wrong side. What an unfortunate shame.
 
 
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