Stupak Fed Up With FCC Stalling

Bart Stupak

Rep. BART STUPAK (D-MI), Chairman of the Subcommittee On Oversight And Investigations of the House Commerce And Energy Committee, told C-SPAN that his investigation of FCC Chairman KEVIN MARTIN's procedures is being stalled by the FCC's unwillingness to cooperate. STUPAK said that his committee has requested to talk to "certain individuals" at the Commission but that they have not cooperated, delaying the Congressional report. 

He said that the FCC has been given a deadline and that the report will be released without the Commission's cooperation if necessary, adding that the Commission is stalling with "constant avoiding of deadlines, the dragging of feet, the refusal to voluntarily come in to testify, and they are trying to run out the clock out on us." 

STUPAK criticized MARTIN's management of the FCC as "not the way it is supposed to be run ... The FCC has always been one of those agencies where people think they can get a fair, impartial hearing based on the facts. Unfortunately, I don't think that has happened in the last few years."

FCC Spokesman ROB KENNY told BROADCASTING AND CABLE that "We have been very cooperative with Congress, and we have provided them with all the documents they requested. FCC procedures under Chairman MARTIN have been the same as those under Republican and Democratic chairmen for the past decade," he added. "The chairman has provided three-week notice to fellow commissioners on all monthly agenda items. In addition, he also released details on his proposals publicly by holding press conferences in advance of the meeting."

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