BEN RAY LUJAN EHE!IOY AHO Co1111ERCE Co11111TIEE 3"" DISTNCT, NEW MEJ<ICO S UBCOMMITTEE~ C OMMUtflCATIOHS AND T ECHNOl.OOY WA9HUt0fON o,.,.u:c 223" RAT8UftN House o,.r" CE Bu1Ltt1NG WAaM1NOTOH, D.C 205t5 79 PHONE 20Z 2Z5·6190 F"" " .i!Oi!·i!i!l5·15i!8 S" Nt" F'c Orr1ct 1611 CAuc Lo.. cA Sutu: A S" MfA F" NM 87!505 P"ONC 15015·984·8950 Fu 505·98&!5047 «Iongress of tlte ~nittb ~tntes ~ouse of ~cpresentntiucs ~ asqington, c!BC!I 20515 January 25, 2018 The Honorable Aj it V. Pai Chairman Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street SW Washington, DC 20554 Dear Chairman Pai: I write to urge the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to require that its online public files' be made machine-readable before it takes any action to repeal or otherwise modify the rules that require broadcast stations to file their contracts and related documents with the FCC. 2 Keeping data in a machine·readable form has been a best practice in the private sector for decades.3 And when it comes to the federal government, the Obama Administration made keeping data in machine-readable formats a priority in 2013.4 Yet despite its commitment to transparency in other areas, the FCC still keeps some of its data, including the online public files, in an ancient and opaque format, virtually inaccessible to the public. To help bring the FCC into the modern era, I introduced the FCC Transparency Act to ensure the public has access to important information held by the FCC in broadcasters' online public files.5 But bringing the Commission up to date should not require Congressional action. You should act now to bring the Commission into the twenty·first century. With the Commission proposing to roll back requirements for broadcasters to file paper documents with I 47 C.F.R. § 73.3526. 2 47 C.F.R. § 73.3613. 3 Joan Knutson, Project Management for Busines.s Professionals, A Comprehensive Guide (2002) ("It should also be obvious that physical, hard·copy documentation is kept to a minimum, with the official versions of program documents (for example, plans, specifications, issues logs. and so on) being maintained in machine readable form."). 4 Exec. Order No. 13642, 78 Fed. Reg. 28111(May9, 2013). 5 H.R. 1440. TuCUMCAIU o,,,cc GALLUP Or,tcc Rio RANCHO O ,.ncc F.u1NIHOTOt.1 Of',.ICC LA" VEGAS 0 ,.,.ICE 404 w. RT 66 BLVD. I. 0 WEST Ancc Avr.. 3200 C1v" c CcHTC911 C" "C"I NE 800 Muto11C1P" 1. 011111vc P.O Box 1368 TucuMCAftl NM BB4'0t G&LLU~ . NM 97 301 5UITC 330 FA .. MINQTON, NM 87-401 l.As V<o" s. NM 87701 PHONC" 5'5·46" · 302:9 PHDNC 50!5-B&:J-0582 Rio R" NcNo, NM 87144 PHOHE 50!5" 32""" 100!5 PHO"ll: !50!5-45"4-3038 F" x: 575·46i 3 191! FAX. 505·863-0678 P~ONC : 505" 994·0499 FAX; S0!5· 3i!4·101!6 Fu; S05-454·3i!65 Fu. !5 0 !5" 994-0!5!10 0 ,.,.ICE LOC:ATIOH: Ntw Mtx1co H10t+LANtl8 UJr4i1v1:" 11ty PAINTI:D ON RECYCU:D PAPER .. 903 UN1vc"a1n Avr.Huc l.As Vco" " . NM C2:>·" "' the FCC,6 you have an opportunity to finally upgrade the public file and make it machine­ readable. The Commission has an obligation to take this chance to advance transparency and the efficiencies of its processes. Before taking steps that could make it harder for Americans to understand how the public's airwaves are used, the Commission should first make sure information in the online public file is kept in a machine-readable format. I appreciate your attention to this important matter. Please contact Graham Mason in my office at 202-225-6190 should you have any questions about this request. Sincerely, Ben Ray Member of Congress 6 Federal Communications Commission, Amendment ofSection 73.3613 ofthe Commission's Rules Regarding Filing ofContracts, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, MB Docket No. 18-4, FCC Circ 1801-05, at11 (rel. Jan. 9, 2018).