Fines Could Go Up Ten-Fold; Trips Would Be Curtailed

The measure to reauthorize the FCC also puts more teeth into the agency’s ability to enforce its rules, by increasing fines and forfeitures by a factor of 10. McCain stated the commission sought the increase to ensure “communications providers do not accept commission fines as a ‘cost of doing business.'”
Staff travel budgets would increase. The measure would prohibit a nongovernmental sponsor of a convention from paying travel expenses for agency officials and staff. McCain stated recent trips for FCC travel paid for by industry were legal and appropriate, but such travel should be “without the appearance of impropriety.”