Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Organization

The Communications Act describes the administration, formation, and powers of the commission. Five regulatory commissioners are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Each commissioner serves a five-year term except for when an appointee is filling an unexpired term. The only qualifications are that commissioners must be citizens and no more than three can be members of the same political party. One commissioner is appointed chair and is responsible for setting the commission's agenda. The commissioners (and increasingly this means the chairman's office) supervise all FCC activities, delegating responsibilities to various bureaus and offices.

In 2002, FCC bureaus and offices were reorganized by function. Responsibility for oversight of electronic media (radio, television, satellite, and cable services) is concentrated in the Media Bureau. Other bureaus include the Wireless, International, Enforcement, and Wireline Competition. After the terrorist attacks in September 2001, a new bureau responsible for public safety, disaster management, and homeland security was created. Most of the day-to-day regulatory work of the commission is done by civil servants at the bureau level.

Congress wrote the 1934 act in broad terms and provided the commission with the ability to promulgate rules and regulations as a means of administering communication policy. The commission's rules and regulations sometimes reflect the intentions of Congress but may also be initiated to solve problems that develop as technology advances or when user needs warrant changes to existing policy. Regulations adopted by the commission have the same force as law (though Congress can override them) and are subject to judicial review. Decisions may be overturned in whole or in part by federal courts or remanded (sent back) to the commission for reevaluation.

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