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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE:  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT: 
 September  7,  2001  Paul  Gallant  at  (202)  418-  2300 


 PRESS  STATEMENT  OF  COMMISSIONER  GLORIA  TRISTANI  REGARDING  EEO  RULES 


 On  January  20,  2000,  the  FCC  adopted  EEO  rules  that  directed  broadcasters  to  select  one  of 
 two  broad  options  for  distributing  information  about  job  openings  to  potential  minority  applicants. 
 The  options  contained  in  the  FCC’s  EEO  regulations  were  quite  modest  but  would  have  ensured 
 that  minorities  would  be  afforded  an  equal  opportunity  to  apply  for  jobs  in  the  broadcast  industry. 


 On  January  16,  2001,  the  D.  C.  Court  of  Appeals  struck  down  the  FCC’s  EEO  rules,  and  on 
 June  19,  2001,  a  divided  court  denied  a  petition  to  rehear  that  case. 


 Earlier  today,  the  Solicitor  General,  on  behalf  of  the  FCC,  requested  that  the  Supreme  Court 
 grant  an  extension  of  time  to  file  a  petition  for  a  writ  of  certiorari  seeking  review  of  the  D.  C. 
 Circuit’s  decision.  I  would  respectfully  urge  my  colleagues  at  the  FCC  to  support  the  filing  of  such 
 a  petition  with  the  Supreme  Court.  I  hope  today’s  filing  is  an  indication  that  they  are  moving  in  that 
 direction. 


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