As part of his ongoing efforts to push process reforms at the Federal Communications Commission, Michael O’Rielly released a list of the reform ideas he’s submitted during his two and a half years as an FCC commissioner, saying that the goal of this 24-item list is to improve efficiency at the commission and increase fairness and transparency.
O’Rielly and his fellow Republican Commissioner Ajit Pai have often been on the other side of the ideological aisle from Chairman Tom Wheeler and Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Mignon Clyburn on issues such as Lifeline reform and Open Internet reform.
O’Rielly said his reform suggestions are not an attempt to undermine the authority of the chairman or stymie the efforts to complete items in a timely manner; the effort is about improving the efficiency of the commission and “increasing fairness and transparency with regard to a process that is questionable in some instances and downright objectionable in others,” O’Rielly said in a blog post on July 8.
O’Rielly lamented that only three of the 24 items on his list have been adopted, including transparency issues when it comes discussion of commission items and a few tech adoption items.
A number of O’Rielly’s suggestions are procedural ones, such as publically posting Open Meeting items the same time that they are circulated to commissioners, and ensuring that the final text of these items are available at least 24 hours before a meeting. O’Rielly has also been critical of the commission’s slow pace in a number of areas; as such he introduced a time limit of 18 months on the life of any interim rule.
He also encouraged the public to share additional suggestions to improve the commission’s workings.
“I plan to continue to call out for the need to improve the functionality of this commission to ensure every sound idea is given due consideration, and will add to this list as the process issues pile up,” he said.
