WASHINGTON—Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin has yet to convince his colleagues to reorganize the FCC with a new homeland security and public-safety bureau, thus was unable to ask Congress to approve his plan during his annual appearance before the House Appropriations commerce subcommittee.
“Before we are able to make a formal reprogramming request, the full commission must approve the plan,” said Martin. “I have a plan pending before my colleagues.”
Martin announced in the wake of Hurricane Katrina that he intended to create a new homeland security and public-safety bureau.
The request was not included in the budget request submitted by President George W. Bush last month. However, it was not expected since Martin had told reporters it would be in the more detailed budget request that the FCC provides to lawmakers.
“We have yet to see a formal reprogramming request,” said Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), chairman of the House Appropriations commerce subcommittee.
Martin said that he expected his colleagues to approve the plan by the end of the month. Once the plan is approved, Martin is then expected to submit the proposal to the Appropriations Committee.
The creation of the homeland security and public-safety bureau threw into doubt the status of the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
RCR Wireless News first reported in July that Martin wanted to eliminate the wireless bureau, moving its functions to other bureaus and perhaps creating a new bureau. Since the details of Martin’s reorganization plan have not been released, it is unclear exactly what functions and policies would be moved to the new bureau and whether the wireless bureau would remain.
Most large policy issues facing the FCC—including the protection of customer call records—are being handled by the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau.
On the cell-phone call records privacy issue, Martin said he expects the FCC to finalize proposed rules on better protecting customer call records by the end of the summer, but he warned the lawmakers that “additional steps may be necessary by Congress and the Federal Trade Commission.”
