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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202/  418-  2555  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  CONTACTS 
 June  26,  2003  David  Fiske  at  (202)  418-  0513 
 STATEMENT  OF  FCC  CHAIRMAN  MICHAEL  K.  POWELL  REGARDING  SATELLITE  LICENSING  REFORMS 
 A  pillar  of  my  strategic  vision  for  the  Agency  is  a  modernized  Commission  that  is  more  responsive,  efficient,  and  effective  in  light  of  the  technological  and  economic  opportunities  of 
 the  new  millennium.  That  commitment  is  embodied  in  today’s  streamlining  of  our  space  and  earth  station  license  application  processes.  Schedule  S,  as  revised  today,  will  expedite  our 
 review  of  satellite  applications  and  will  allow  us  to  develop  a  database  that  will  enhance  public  access  to  information  on  satellite  policy  and  licensing.  Likewise,  we  expect  that  our  adoption  of 
 Form  312EZ,  along  with  revisions  to  existing  forms,  will  expedite  our  review  of  routine  earth  station  applications.  We  look  forward  to  drawing  important  lessons  from  the  mandatory 
 electronic  filing  requirements  for  earth  stations  that  we  adopt  today,  which  we  hope  to  apply  more  broadly  in  a  transition  to  complete  electronic  filing  for  satellites.  More  efficient  processes 
 mean  more  rapid  licensing  and  ultimately  fewer  regulatory  restraints  in  the  digital  migration  towards  next  generation  satellite  platforms.  This  reform  would  not  have  been  possible  but  for 
 the  leadership  and  dedication  of  the  International  Bureau  staff  that  has  worked  for  so  long  to  bring  IBFS  [International  Bureau  Filing  System]  to  us  today. 


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