Established by the Communications Act of 1934. Its spectrum auctions have raised over $200B for the Treasury since 1994, and its universal-service programs subsidize rural broadband and school connectivity.
Open the interactive page for FCC →Created byCommunications Act of 1934, § 4 (48 Stat. 1066)
Head appointed47 U.S.C. § 154(a)-(c): President appoints 5 commissioners, Senate consent, 5-yr terms, no more than a bare majority (3) from one party; Chairman designated by President (PAS)
Removal standardno statutory protection — Communications Act is silent on removal
Funded underFinancial Services and General Government appropriations act; appropriation fully offset by regulatory fees under 47 U.S.C. § 159 (Section 9 fees, restructured by RAY BAUM'S Act of 2018); spectrum-auction costs retained under 47 U.S.C. § 309(j)(8)(B)
Congressional oversightHouse Energy and Commerce · Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Inspector generalown OIG (designated federal entity under IG Act — IG appointed by the Chairman as agency head)
Judicial reviewHobbs Act direct court-of-appeals review of final orders, 28 U.S.C. § 2342(1) with 47 U.S.C. § 402(a); station-licensing appeals go to the D.C. Circuit, 47 U.S.C. § 402(b)
Comment in any FCC proceeding at fcc.gov/ecfs; challenge a broadcast license renewal; petition the FCC for a rulemaking.
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