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HR 3675 113th Congress House

Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act of 2014

Official title: To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for greater transparency and efficiency in the procedures followed by the Federal Communications Commission, and for other purposes.

Introduced: December 9, 2013 See on congress.gov
Science, Technology, Communications Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAtmospheric science and weatherCensus and government statisticsCongressional oversight
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Consumer affairsEconomic performance and conditionsEmergency communications systemsExecutive agency funding and structureFederal Communications Commission (FCC)Freedom of informationGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsLicensing and registrationsPerformance measurementTelecommunication rates and feesTelephone and wireless communication
This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 12 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 12, 2014
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Mar 11, 2014
The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
Mar 11, 2014
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (consideration: CR H2281-2282)
Mar 11, 2014
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(consideration: CR H2281-2282)
Mar 11, 2014
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3675.
Mar 11, 2014
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2280-2284)
Mar 11, 2014
Mr. Walden moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. (consideration: CR H2280-2281)
Jan 31, 2014
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 251.
Jan 31, 2014
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 113-338.
Dec 10, 2013
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Dec 9, 2013
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Dec 9, 2013
Introduced in House
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 Latest action March 12, 2014

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act of 2014 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to complete a rulemaking proceeding to adopt rules establishing:

  • minimum comment and reply periods for rulemakings;
  • policies to ensure that the public has notice and an opportunity to respond to comments, ex parte communications, or materials submitted toward the end of, or after, the comment period;
  • procedures for publishing the status of open rulemakings and items circulated for Commissioners' review;
  • deadlines for public notice, and guidelines for disposition, of certain petitions; and
  • procedures to include the specific language of proposed rules or amendments in proposed rulemaking notices.

Requires performance measures to be included in notices of proposed rulemakings or orders that would create or substantially change a program activity. Defines "program activity" as a specific activity or project as listed in the program and financing schedules of the U.S. annual budget, including any annual collection or distribution or related series of collections or distributions by the FCC of $100 million or more.

Directs the FCC to seek public comment regarding whether the FCC should: (1) establish procedures for allowing a bipartisan majority of Commissioners to place items on an open meeting agenda and for publishing in advance of such meetings the text of agenda items on which the FCC will vote; (2) establish deadlines for the disposition of certain license applications; and (3) publish orders, decisions, reports, and actions within 30 days after adoption.

Requires the FCC to initiate a new rulemaking proceeding every five years to continue its consideration of procedural rule changes.

Allows a bipartisan majority of Commissioners to hold a nonpublic meeting, including a meeting to collaborate with joint boards or conferences, if: (1) no votes or actions are taken, and (2) an attorney from the FCC's Office of General Counsel is present. Requires such a closed meeting to be disclosed within two business days after the meeting, along with a list of persons in attendance and a summary of discussed matters, provided that such matters are not classified or otherwise exempt from disclosure.

Directs the FCC to provide on its website: (1) information regarding the FCC's budget, appropriations, and total number of full-time equivalent employees; (2) the FCC's annual performance plan; and (3) information about consumer complaints in a publicly available, searchable database.

Directs the FCC to complete actions necessary for the required publication of documents in the Federal Register within specified time frames.

Requires the FCC to inform the public about its performance and efficiency in meeting disclosure and other requirements under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), including by: (1) publishing on the FCC website its logs for managing FOIA requests and associated fees, (2) releasing decisions to grant or deny requests, and (3) presenting information about the number of FOIA requests received and granted or denied by the FCC in its annual budget estimates and annual performance and financial reports.

Directs the FCC, by January 15th of each year, to publish on its website and in other required formats an anticipated release schedule for all statistical reports and reports to Congress.

Requires annual reports to Congress on the FCC's performance in conducting its proceedings and meeting the deadlines and guidelines established by this Act.

(Sec. 3) Prohibits the FCC, in compiling its quarterly report with respect to informal consumer inquiries and complaints, from categorizing an inquiry or complaint under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (places restrictions on telephone solicitations and automatic dialing systems) as a wireline or wireless inquiry or complaint unless a wireline or wireless carrier was the subject of the inquiry or complaint.

(Sec. 5) Amends the Universal Service Antideficiency Temporary Suspension Act to extend through December 31, 2020, the waiver of certain limitations on: (1) expending, obligating, or apportioning appropriations with respect to federal universal service contributions collected or received under the Communications Act of 1934; and (2) expending or obligating funds attributable to such contributions for universal service support programs.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 4 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3675: Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act of 2014. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-3675/
MLA
"H.R. 3675: Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act of 2014." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-3675/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3675, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-3675/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 3675: Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act of 2014](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-3675/)
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