Time standing still at the FCC

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ClockWhen reviewing a transaction over which it has regulatory authority, the FCC employs a shot clock to move things along in a timely manner. It has been frozen for the duration of the government shutdown.


The FCC lost financing, along with most of the federal government, 10/1/13. The shot clock for all pending transactions stopped the prior business day, which was 9/30/13.

The duration of the clock is 180 days.

The clock will begin ticking again the second business day after the FCC’s funding has been restored, giving the FCC a day to get back up to speed before turning its attention to normal regulatory matters.

The FCC explained, “Thus, for example, if a lapse in funding ended on a Monday, the Commission would return to normal operations on Tuesday morning, and the time clocks would be restarted on Wednesday.”

1 COMMENT

  1. 180 days? I think not. We’ve had an application pending for over two years, and this is nothing out of the ordinary. The FCC is understaffed even when the Republicans don’t shut the government down

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