-“I am disappointed that the Commission is yet again seeking to siphon money from the USF to fund the FCC’s work, and I urge this Subcommittee to again reject this proposal. To be sure, the Commission this year is requesting a smaller transfer of $9.5 million. But the reasons for opposing any diversion of USF funds to the Commission are just as compelling now as they were one year ago. I agree with Chairman Greg Walden of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology of the House Energy and Commerce Committee that transferring USF funds to the FCC is a “disturbing proposal.” And Chairman John Thune of the Senate Commerce Committee has said that it would set “a dangerous precedent.” The Commission’s authorizers are right: USF funds should be spent across our country closing the digital divide, not at the FCC’s headquarters here in Washington, D.C.”
-“One area of progress that I wanted to highlight is our work to improve the FCC’s efficiency and effectiveness. I am pleased to report that more than 77 of the 154 recommendations of the Commission’s 2014 Process Reform Working Group have been fully implemented and most of the remainder are being implemented. Many of these reforms are related to operational improvements that this Subcommittee supports – enhanced transparency, greater public access, streamlined processes, cost savings measures, better employee training, and overall, more efficient use of resources that you give us to carry out our routine mission objectives.”
Excerpts from the respective testimony of FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai and Chairman Tom Wheeler as presented this week before the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government. The FCC was supporting its FY 2017 budget request of $358.3 million.