FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN The Honorable Anna G. Eshoo U.S. House of Representatives 241 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Congresswoman Eshoo: October 23. 2017 Thank you for your letter regarding First Amendment freedoms and the independence of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission). Throughout my tenure at the Commission, I have consistently been a strong supporter of the First Amendment, and as I stated last week, the FCC under my leadership has protected and will continue to protect the First Amendment. Moreover, I have made clear that the FCC does not have the authority to revoke a license of a broadcast station based on the content of a particular newscast. As a strong supporter of the First Amendment and the FCC' s independence, I can also assure you that under my leadership the Commission's review of any matter associated with any broadcast license will not be impacted by political pressure from the Executive Branch. 1 appreciate your interest in this matter and look forward to working with you on important matters before the Commission. Sincerely, v. Ajit V. Pai