E&C Leaders Demand Trump FCC and FTC Stop Work on Controversial Items in Light of Election Results

Energy and Commerce Committee leaders today wrote to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Joseph Simons demanding that the two commissions stop work on all partisan or controversial items currently under consideration in light of the results of last week’s presidential election.

“With the results of the 2020 presidential election now apparent, leadership of the FTC will undoubtedly be changing,” Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Chair Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) wrote in a letter to the FTC.  “As a traditional part of the transfer of power — and as part of our oversight responsibilities — we strongly urge the agency to only pursue consensus and administrative matters that are non-partisan for the remainder of your tenure.”

Pallone and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA) expressed the same sentiment in their letter to the FCC, adding: “We note that you have previously welcomed calls from congressional leaders for the FCC to ‘halt further action on controversial items during the transition period.’ We hope you will respect this time-honored tradition now.”

In both letters, the Committee leaders acknowledge there are likely a number of consensus matters for the two commissions to carry out and the lawmakers encourage them to do so quickly.

The letter to FTC is available HERE and the letter to FCC is available HERE.

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