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FEDERALhearing transcript
Finance Detected

Congressional Hearing on FCC Transparency

Original title: FCC AUTHORIZATION: IMPROVING COMMISSION TRANSPARENCY

January 1, 2016

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Finance Connection

Notable money activity
$7,500across 3 reported contributions
Trace money trail →
CandidateDonorAmountIndustryDate
Tom Wheeler for Supervisor District 5 - 2018Tarlton & Son Inc$2,500-Nov 2021
Tom Wheeler for Supervisor District 5 - 2018Wild Electric$2,500-Nov 2021
Tom Wheeler for Supervisor District 5 - 2018Strategic Mechanical$2,500-Nov 2021

Reported financial relationships and timing signals. This does not prove motive or influence. Readers draw their own conclusions.

The Frame

What this does

This hearing served as a formal legislative review of how the FCC operates, setting the stage for potential changes to the agency's decision-making rules and public disclosure requirements.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Federal Communications Commission

The agency is the subject of proposed legislative oversight and potential changes to its internal operating procedures.

Telecommunications industry

Changes to FCC transparency rules could alter how the agency interacts with regulated entities and how policy decisions are reached.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2016.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing on April 30, 2015, to discuss potential legislative reforms aimed at increasing transparency and accountability at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The session featured testimony from FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and Commissioner Michael O'Rielly regarding the agency's internal processes.

Key Facts

  • The hearing took place on April 30, 2015, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
  • The primary objective was to discuss 'FCC Authorization' and 'Improving Commission Transparency'.
  • The subcommittee reviewed discussion drafts of potential legislation regarding FCC operations.
  • FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and Commissioner Michael O'Rielly provided formal testimony.
  • The record includes submitted letters from public interest groups and former FCC Commissioner Reed Hunt.
  • The hearing was held under the authority of the 114th Congress.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the purpose of this hearing?
The hearing was held to examine how the FCC functions and to discuss legislative proposals aimed at making the agency's processes more transparent.
Who testified at the hearing?
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly provided testimony.

Why It Matters

This hearing served as a formal legislative review of how the FCC operates, setting the stage for potential changes to the agency's decision-making rules and public disclosure requirements.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Lobbying Activity

AARP

$4,110,000

2026

HEALTH ISSUESMEDICARE/MEDICAIDLAW ENFORCEMENT/CRIME/CRIMINAL JUSTICEPHARMACY

P.L. 119-21, One Big Beautiful Bill Act H.R. 8867, Planning for Long-term Aging Needs (PLAN) Act H.R. 5861, Legacy Act of 2025 H.R. 9393, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. H.R. 9396, the Prior Authorization Accountability Act. S. 4916, the Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act. H.R. 8100, Safe Staffing Saves Lives Act. S. 3886, Nurses Belong in Nursing Homes Act. H.R. 6766/S. 3492, the Essential Caregivers Act of 2025. H.R. 7966/S. 4118, Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act. S. 2120, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 H.R. 5575, the Firefighters Assisting Seniors to Emergency Response (FASTER) Act of 2025. H.R. 3954/S. 4641, Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. H.R.5554/S.2831, Stand Strong for Medicare Act. S. 3439/H.R. 6735, Connecting Caregivers to Medicare Act and efforts related to the bill S. 1227/H.R. 2491, Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act S. 668/H.R. 3183, Supporting Access to Falls Education and Prevention and Strengthening Training Efforts and Promoting Safety Initiatives (SAFE STEPS) for Veterans Act of 2025 CMS-1851-P, Hospice Proposed rule. CMS-1843-P, Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed rule. CMS-1844-P, Home Health Proposed rule. No bill number. Health care transparency. No bill number. Discussed use of artificial intelligence and health data technology. No bill number. Discussed health-related policies and activities around the fall respiratory virus season. No bill number. Discussed health insurance affordability proposals. No bill number. Discussed Nursing Home staffing standards, safety, and quality. No bill number. Discussed Nursing home transparency and ownership requirements. No bill number. Discussed home health, hospice, and long-term care. No bill number. Discussed falls prevention. No bill number. Discussed social isolation. No bill number. Discussed HUD Assisted Living Requirements No bill number. Discussed family caregiving. No bill number. Discussed AARP paper on Medicare Caregiver Training Services. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid community engagement interim final rule, including the family caregiver exemption. No bill number. Discussed the paid direct care workforce in long-term care. No bill number. Discussed the unaffordability of long-term care. No bill number. Discussed Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program and Medicaid HCBS spousal impoverishment protections. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid fraud and family caregivers, Medicaid self-direction programs. No bill number. Discussed sandwich generation family caregiver hearing and submitted a statement for the record discussing family caregivers and sandwich generation caregivers, programs that support them, AARP caregiving resources, and federal policies to support sandwich generation caregivers and caregivers more broadly. No bill number. Discussed long-term care. No bill number. CMS-2453-NC; Medicaid Program; 2028 Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Quality Measure Set Submitted comments No bill number. Discussed expanding access to home care. No bill number. Discussed the increasing cost of home care No bill number. Discussed HSA use for telehealth chronic care management services/subscriptions. No bill number. Discussed artificial intelligence and technology

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift80% confidence

Focus on FCC Process

The hearing indicates a specific legislative interest in the internal procedural mechanics of the FCC rather than just its policy outcomes.

Connected Entities

personMichael O'RiellyCommissioner of the Federal Communications CommissionMap →
organizationHouse Subcommittee on Communications and TechnologyThe committee conducting the oversight hearingMap →
organizationFederal Communications CommissionThe federal agency under review for its transparency practicesMap →
personTom WheelerChairman of the Federal Communications CommissionMap →
personGreg WaldenChairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and TechnologyMap →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance40
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz5
    Current news / social attention level

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