Congressman Walden and Sen. Heller call for new role for FCC in merger reviews
Currently, the FCC evaluates whether or not a merger is in the public interest. Under the Walden and Heller legislation, the FCC would do a cost-benefit analysis of the "public harms" that a merger would present, a much more narrow standard.
Late today, reporters from Politico asked Chairman Walden if he has "any problems" with how the FCC has conducted its reviews of AT&T's proposed takeover of T-Mobile.
Walden said, "Not really, I think they are doing their due diligence." The Congressman declined to critique the Justice Department's decision to file suit to block the proposed transaction telling Politico, he was "letting that process work out".
Now the matter is before the courts, that sounds like the appropriate response from a Member of Congress.
