Congressional Hearing on FCC Transparency
January 1, 2016
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
Finance Connection
| Candidate | Donor | Amount | Industry | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Wheeler for Supervisor District 5 - 2018 | Tarlton & Son Inc | $2,500 | - | Nov 2021 |
| Tom Wheeler for Supervisor District 5 - 2018 | Wild Electric | $2,500 | - | Nov 2021 |
| Tom Wheeler for Supervisor District 5 - 2018 | Strategic 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
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.
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.
Last recorded activity January 1, 2016.
Next step not available in the current record.
Summary
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?
Who testified at the hearing?
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
Lobbying Activity
AARP
2026
“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.
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
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance40How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz5Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools