Editor's note: To download the PDF of the entire FCC Budget 2008 proposal, click here [1].
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is pleased to present its fiscal year (FY) 2008 budget request. The FCC is requesting a budget of $313,000,000 to successfully carry out the FCC's functions and meet the expectations of Congress. As detailed in this submission, the requested budget includes
funding for initiatives to:
(1) Educate consumers about the Digital TV transition;
(2) Bolster oversight of the Universal Service Fund;
(3) Continue to modernize the fleet of public safety vehicles; and (4) Strengthen management and oversight of the Commission's financial and accounting processes.
We project we will work 1,919 full-time equivalents (FTEs) from all available resources to carry out our mission for the American people.
With these resources, we will work hard to promote the deployment of broadband services, deregulate where competition exists, enhance public safety and homeland security, ensure the viability of the Universal Service Fund, promote the efficient use of spectrum, and review media regulation to enhance competition and diversity. We are also developing plans to ensure the Commission has the tools and training necessary to accomplish our goals and mission. The FCC's FY 2008 budget request will be
used to support the following Strategic Goals:
a. Broadband - Broadband, both wired and wireless, is the digital highway over which advanced Internet-based services are made available to homes, businesses, schools, and hospitals. As such, it has become an integral element of our Nation's economic stability and growth, and the FCC will continue to vigorously promote its deployment in FY 2008 by helping to assure that competition, innovation, and investment in broadband services continue apace.
The Commission will also closely monitor and report to Congress and the American people on the Nation's progress toward
the deployment of broadband services in the United States and abroad.
b. Competition - In FY 2008, the FCC will continue its important work of supporting and enhancing the Nation's economy by implementing the investment and competition-enhancing provisions of national telecommunications laws, and will deregulate where competition exists. A continuing priority will be ensuring the viability of the Universal Service Fund to ensure access for consumers in rural and high cost areas and to promote access to advanced services for schools, libraries, and
healthcare service providers in rural areas. To support this goal, the FCC is requesting additional funds to combat waste, fraud and abuse of the Fund. Further, the FCC's efforts will include the
licensing and authorization of several thousand communications products and services each year, vigorous enforcement and consumer education programs. By carrying out programs in this area the FCC will help ensure that the communications and video programming revolution continues and that all consumers will have the opportunity to make meaningful choices among and have access to communications services.
c. Spectrum - Electromagnetic spectrum is the means by which many new advanced telecommunications services are transmitted. The explosion of new digital services has placed huge new demands on this traditionally scarce resource, and allocating its private-sector use has always been one of the FCC's fundamental responsibilities. The pioneering work of the FCC's Spectrum Management Task Force is producing new approaches to spectrum management, freeing up more of this valuable resource for innovative uses and shortening the time it takes to make spectrum available. These initiatives, as well as the FCC's ongoing effort to encourage the highest and best use of spectrum domestically and internationally, will be even more essential in FY 2008 if the United States is to encourage the growth and rapid deployment of innovative and efficient
communications technologies and services.
d. Media - In FY 2008, the FCC will review media regulation to foster competition and diversity, and continue its management of the Digital TV transition process, pursuant to which over-the-air broadcasters will convert to digital transmission and relinquish their current channels, which can then be reallocated to commercial and public safety uses. To support this goal and facilitate the Digital TV transition, the FCC is seeking additional resources to develop a consumer outreach campaign to help educate the public about the impact and benefits of Digital TV.
e. Public Safety and Homeland Security - The FCC is dedicated to providing the leadership and policy guidance necessary to promote the reliability, operability and interoperability, redundancy, and rapid recoverability of our Nation's critical communications infrastructure. The FCC will also continue to steward the spectrum resources of public safety's first responders and promote new lifesaving technologies like wireless E911. To support this goal, the Commission is seeking additional resources to modernize its aging fleet of Mobile Digital Direction Finding (MDDF) vehicles that support public safety entities, such as local emergency responders, in the resolution of harmful interference to their communications systems. In addition, the FY 2008 budget request reflects establishment of the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau in FY 2006.
f. Modernize the FCC - To achieve the goals and programs in the FY 2008 performance budget, the FCC will strive to be a highly productive, adaptive, and innovative organization that maximizes the benefit to stakeholders, staff, and management from effective systems, processes, resources, and organizational culture.
The Commission will continue to fulfill its statutory responsibility emphasizing efficient and effective performance and results, as well as compliance with laws and regulations, through excellent management.
The FCC will also strive to ensure that it has the appropriate mix of expert, well-prepared staff; that it maximizes the benefits of technology in its programs; and that it uses other best management practices to meet the mission-critical challenges ahead. To support this goal, the FCC is requesting additional funds to strengthen its finance and accounting processes by transitioning to a modern core financial information system beginning in FY 2008.
The FCC is submitting its FY 2008 budget request information at the organizational level to show the proposed use of resources. In addition, the FCC's budget request shows the proposed use of funds by key account within each bureau or office. This format provides a detailed view of the FCC's proposed use of budgetary resources. We welcome the budgetary process and stand ready to provide Congress with the information needed to ensure effective oversight over the FCC.