Federal Regulatory Agencies
Here's a look at documents from federal regulatory agencies
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Statement by Commissioner Summer K. Mersinger on Her Departure From the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following statement on May 14, 2025:
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Statement by Commissioner Summer K. Mersinger on her Departure from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
After careful consideration, long discussions with my family, and lots of prayers, I have decided to step down from my position as Commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") at the end of the month, to pursue new opportunities. This decision is not easy, and it breaks my heart to leave the agency that I have grown to love so much over the last five
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WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following statement on May 14, 2025:
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Statement by Commissioner Summer K. Mersinger on her Departure from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
After careful consideration, long discussions with my family, and lots of prayers, I have decided to step down from my position as Commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") at the end of the month, to pursue new opportunities. This decision is not easy, and it breaks my heart to leave the agency that I have grown to love so much over the last fiveyears. It has been a privilege to work and serve at the CFTC in both the first and the current Trump Administrations, doing my part to assist in pursuing the President's important policies.
While I have spoken often of my agricultural roots, I have not spent much time talking about my upbringing. My parents did not go to college. They went straight from high school to the workforce. My dad worked from the early morning hours until late at night, and my mom sometimes worked two jobs to make ends meet. We lived in a small trailer house, our family outings were church on Sunday, and the only time we ate out was when our church hosted a potluck lunch after Mass. Despite the lack of material comforts, we never lacked love, support, or encouragement. My parents sacrificed so that my siblings and I could live out our dreams.
My background really is not unique or noteworthy, and I suspect many Americans share a similar life story. I share this to explain just how grateful I am for the opportunities I have had throughout my life. When I started answering phones for Congressman John Thune in the summer of 1999, I could not possibly imagine the career opportunities before me, and I am still in awe today. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my parents who worked to support my dreams, and to Majority Leader John Thune who took a chance on a small-town kid from Onida, South Dakota.
Over the last three years as a commissioner, I have been incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by a stellar team who made me look good every day. Thank you to Terry Arbit, Libby Mastrogiacomo, Josh Beale and Tim Achinger for sharing your brilliant legal minds and for all the hours and effort you selflessly contributed over the years.
Thanks to Lauren Fulks, an absolute hidden gem in the agency, who took my vision for the Energy and Environmental Markets Advisory Committee ("EEMAC") and made it a reality, and Lillian Cardona and JonMarc Buffa for diligently working with an extraordinary team of professionals to create masterful reports from our EEMAC subcommittees.
A special thanks to the members of the EEMAC for their intellectual curiosity and willingness to go "off-road" in the pursuit of understanding America's energy sector.
I also want to thank LaTasha Pate and Janet Schmautz for keeping the office, and the staff, running smoothly.
And finally, I need to say thank you to my chief of staff, Chris Lucas. The title of chief of staff does not come close to covering all of Chris's duties over the last few years. Chris was the optimism to my realism, the morning person to my hatred of anything happening before 10 am, my cheerleader, and the voice of reason when I needed someone to tell me the hard truth.
Thank you to all my staff for working so hard on my behalf and on behalf of the CFTC and, most importantly, thank you for your willingness to tell me "No" when I needed to hear it.
I will miss the work and my fellow commissioners, who have become close friends. But most of all, I will miss the amazing team at the CFTC. The talented staff at this agency are true public servants committed to fulfilling the agency's mission. They are the heart of the agency and of great value to the United States government. It has been an honor to both work with you and learn from you. Thank you.
I have always loved the following quote from A.A. Milne, and I can think of no better words to express my sentiment as I prepare to step into the next adventure in my career:
"How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."
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Original text here: https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/SpeechesTestimony/mersingerstatement051425
FTC Chairman Testifies Before House Appropriations Committee on Agency's Budget
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The Federal Trade Commission issued the following news release:
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FTC Chairman Testifies Before House Appropriations Committee on Agency's Budget
Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson today appeared before the House Appropriations Committee's Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee to discuss the agency's Fiscal Year 2025 operations, Fiscal Year 2026 priorities and ongoing work to protect consumers and promote competition.
Testifying on behalf of the Commission, Chairman Ferguson emphasized the value the FTC provides to U.S. taxpayers.
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WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The Federal Trade Commission issued the following news release:
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FTC Chairman Testifies Before House Appropriations Committee on Agency's Budget
Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson today appeared before the House Appropriations Committee's Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee to discuss the agency's Fiscal Year 2025 operations, Fiscal Year 2026 priorities and ongoing work to protect consumers and promote competition.
Testifying on behalf of the Commission, Chairman Ferguson emphasized the value the FTC provides to U.S. taxpayers.For example, in FY 2024, the agency returned more than $333 million to consumers, equivalent to nearly two-thirds of the agency's annual budget.
The testimony highlighted the FTC's commitment to using agency resources efficiently and meeting President Trump's goal of reducing the size of the federal government. In recent months, the FTC has reduced the size of its workforce and cut other costs while still executing on the agency's priorities - protecting the American people from scams, fraud and other unfair or deceptive practices as well as from harmful collusion and consolidation. The testimony also noted the importance of retaining adequate staffing to maintain the agency's high level of performance.
As part of the agency's mission to protect consumers, the FTC is working to prevent illegal telemarketing calls; fraud targeting older Americans and servicemembers; deceptive billing and cancellation practices; unlawful ticket practices; and unlawful data security and privacy practices. On the competition side, the FTC is focused on targeting the root causes of anticompetitive conduct and tackling the most significant harms across markets, particularly by dominant firms whose business practices affect many Americans.
The Commission vote to approve the testimony was 3-0.
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Original text here: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/05/ftc-chairman-testifies-house-appropriations-committee-agencys-budget
FCC's Initial Contract Review Saves Taxpayers Millions of Dollars
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release:
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FCC's Initial Contract Review Saves Taxpayers Millions of Dollars
Agency Has Already Lowered Authorized Contract Spending By Over $567 Million
WASHINGTON, May 14, 2025--Today, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced initial findings and anticipated savings resulting from a top-to-bottom review of agency contracts. The FCC has undertaken this review consistent with President Trump's Executive Order 14222, "Implementing the President's 'Department of Government Efficiency' Cost Efficiency Initiative."
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WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release:
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FCC's Initial Contract Review Saves Taxpayers Millions of Dollars
Agency Has Already Lowered Authorized Contract Spending By Over $567 Million
WASHINGTON, May 14, 2025--Today, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced initial findings and anticipated savings resulting from a top-to-bottom review of agency contracts. The FCC has undertaken this review consistent with President Trump's Executive Order 14222, "Implementing the President's 'Department of Government Efficiency' Cost Efficiency Initiative." The FCC's initial work has reviewed contracts with a focus on identifying areas of redundancy and overspending. To support this effort, the FCC stood up an internal DOGE team composed of FCC staff and coordinated with the government's DOGE representatives.
Chairman Brendan Carr issued the following statement:
"On my watch, the FCC is focused on delivering great results for the country and doing so in an efficient manner. That starts with being good stewards of taxpayer dollars. From day one, we have been combing through every FCC contract to eliminate redundancies and wasteful spending. No stone is being left unturned. To date, we have reduced more than $567 million in authorized contract spending, including by ending bloated or unnecessary IT contracts. This is an important step towards ensuring long-term efficiency and maintaining our focus on the FCC's core responsibilities."
Additional Background Information:
Through a combination of scaling down and terminating contracts, the FCC has reduced the total contract ceiling value by more than $567 million. This figure represents cumulative savings from eliminating spending authorization under numerous contracts over multiple years. In the near term, the elimination or modification of contracts has generated more than $6.7 million in savings for the remainder of 2025 from the cancellation of obligated spending. In addition, this effort has also generated more than $21.1 million in savings for 2026, effectively reducing planned contract spending for 2026 by 20 percent.
Contract cancellations and modifications thus far have included a wide range of agency work. Specifically, the review resulted in savings and efficiencies from the elimination or reduction of contracts for redundant or duplicative IT services, lightly used periodicals and press, unnecessary hog trapping services, tasks more efficiently done in-house, IT licenses exceeding the number of active users, and projects completed ahead of schedule or without exhausting the planned budget, among other circumstances. This review effort remains ongoing.
More broadly, the Commission is working to improve agency efficiency by removing unnecessary rules and regulations. Its "In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete" initiative seeks to identify outdated and overly burdensome regulations that should be repealed. Its dormant docket proceeding seeks to terminate over 2,000 official proceedings that have become dormant and no longer serve a purpose for the American people.
Media Contact: MediaRelations@fcc.gov / (202) 418-0500
@FCC / www.fcc.gov
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Original text here: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fccs-initial-contract-review-saves-taxpayers-millions-dollars
FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Issues Public Notice: Seeking Comment on 3.7-4.2 GHz Relocation Payment Clearinghouse's Request to Wind Down & Cease Operations
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau issued the following public notice (GN Docket No. 18-122 and WT Docket No. 21-333) on May 14, 2025:
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With this Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on the C-band Relocation Payment Clearinghouse's (RPC) request to wind down and cease operations on or about June 30, 2025./1 In the 3.7 GHz Report and Order, the Commission adopted rules to make 280 megahertz of mid-band spectrum available for flexible use throughout the contiguous United States by transitioning
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WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau issued the following public notice (GN Docket No. 18-122 and WT Docket No. 21-333) on May 14, 2025:
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With this Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on the C-band Relocation Payment Clearinghouse's (RPC) request to wind down and cease operations on or about June 30, 2025./1 In the 3.7 GHz Report and Order, the Commission adopted rules to make 280 megahertz of mid-band spectrum available for flexible use throughout the contiguous United States by transitioningexisting services out of the lower portion of the band and into the upper 200 megahertz of the C-band./2 The Commission required new 3.7 GHz Service licensees to reimburse the reasonable relocation costs of eligible Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) space station operators, incumbent FSS earth station operators, and incumbent Fixed Service licensees to transition out of the band./3 The 3.7 GHz Report and Order provided for the creation of an independent clearinghouse to administer, subject to the Commission's rules and oversight, the cost-related aspects of the transition in a fair and transparent manner, "to mitigate financial disputes among stakeholders, and to collect and distribute payments in a timely manner."/4
On May 12, 2025, the RPC submitted a request to wind down and cease its operations.5 The RPC proposes to conclude its operations on or about June 30, 2025.6 In its request, the RPC states that it has completed all substantive functions required under the Commission's rules and the 3.7 GHz Report and Order./7 Specifically, the RPC notes that all reimbursement claims have been reviewed, every claim approved in whole or in part has been invoiced, and only a single claim remains pending appeal./8 Prior to ceasing operations, the RPC asserts that it will "(1) pay all invoiced Claims; (2) invoice and pay all Program administrative costs; (3) complete the True-Up and Reconciliation process for one remaining SSO; (4) refund the remaining reimbursement account balance to the [3.7 GHz Service overlay licensees]; (5) prepare and submit a final quarterly report; (6) prepare and submit the final audited RPC financial statements; (7) archive and retain official RPC records; and (8) shut down RPC email systems, websites, and other operational systems."/9
To address the claim of Anuvu Licensing Holdings, LLC (Anuvu) which is pending before the Commission on appeal and currently subject to a petition for de novo review--making it the RPC's last outstanding program cost--the RPC requests that the Bureau authorize any related payment to be administered directly by the 3.7 GHz Service overlay licensees in the event of a favorable Commission or court ruling./10 The RPC also requests waiver of any provisions in the 3.7 GHz Report and Order and all applicable Commission rules, including 47 C.F.R. Sec.Sec. 27.1414 (b), 27.1414 (b)(4)(iii), 27.1414(c)(1)-(3), 27.1415, 27.1416(b), 27.1417, and 27.1421, to the extent necessary to allow the overlay licensees to assume responsibility for any contingent payment to Anuvu./11 As directed by the 3.7 GHz Report and Order, the Bureau seeks comment on the RPC's wind down request and the proposed timelines./12 All comments must be submitted within fifteen (15) days of release of this Public Notice./13
Comment Period and Filing Procedures. Interested parties may file comments and reply comments on or before the date indicated on the first page of this document. Comments may be filed using the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). Comments should refer to GN Docket No. 18-122 when filing in response to this Public Notice.
* Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/.
* Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing.
- Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial courier, or by the U.S. Postal Service. All filings must be addressed to the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
- Hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission's Secretary are accepted between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. by the FCC's mailing contractor at 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes and boxes must be disposed of before entering the building.
- Commercial courier deliveries (any deliveries not by the U.S. Postal Service) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.
- Filings sent by U.S. Postal Service First-Class Mail, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express must be sent to 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554.
People with Disabilities. To request materials in accessible formats (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format) for people with disabilities, send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530.
Additional Information. For further information concerning this Public Notice, please contact Susan Mort, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at Susan.Mort@fcc.gov or (202) 418-2429.
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Footnotes:
1/ See Relocation Payment Clearinghouse Request to Wind Down and Cease Operations and Request for Waivers, GN Docket No. 18-122 (filed May 12, 2025) (RPC Wind Down Request).
2/ See Expanding Flexible Use of the 3.7 to 4.2 GHz Band, GN Docket No. 18-122, Report and Order and Order of Proposed Modification, 35 FCC Rcd 2343 (2020) (3.7 GHz Report and Order), appeal and petition for review dismissed sub nom. PSSI Global Services, L.L.C. v. FCC, 983 F.3d 1 (D.C. Cir. 2020).
3/ 3.7 GHz Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 2391, 2465-66, paras. 111, 326.
4/ Id. at 2446, para. 255; 47 CFR Sec. 27.1414. A search committee appointed by the Commission selected CohnReznick LLP and subcontractors Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP, and Intellicom Technologies, Inc., to serve as the clearinghouse; the Bureau subsequently determined that the search committee's selection satisfied the criteria set forth in section 27.1414 of the Commission's rules and described in the 3.7 GHz Report and Order. Expanding Flexible Use of the 3.7 to 4.2 GHz Band, GN Docket No. 18-122, Order, 35 FCC Rcd 11859 (2020); see 47 CFR Sec. 27.1414; 3.7 GHz Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 2450-52, paras. 273-80.
5/ See RPC Wind Down Request at 1; see also 3.7 GHz Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 2452, para. 283 ("The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau is hereby directed to issue a Public Notice upon receipt of a request of the Clearinghouse to wind down and suspend operations.").
6/ See RPC Wind Down Request at 1.
7/ Id.
8/ Id. at 1-2.
9/ Id. at 3-4.
10/ Id. at 3 (noting that a single 3.7 GHz Service overlay licensee, Cellco Partnership (Verizon), has represented to the RPC that it has entered into an agreement with Anuvu to guarantee payment of the appealed claim in the event of a favorable Commission or court ruling, and that Verizon will then be solely responsible for collecting pro rata amounts from the other 3.7 GHz Service overlay licensees). See Petition for De Novo Review of Anuvu Licensing Holdings, LLC, WT Docket No. 21-333, File No. 2 (filed Apr. 4, 2025).
11/ RPC Wind Down Request at 4-8.
12/ See 3.7 GHz Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 2452, para. 283.
13/ See id. ("If no material issues are raised within 15 days of the release of this Public Notice, the Bureau may grant the RPC's request to suspend operations by the date proposed in the RPC Wind Down Request.").
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-25-413A1.pdf
FCC Grants Limited Waivers for Rural Broadband Reporting Errors
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau has issued an order granting limited waivers to certain Connect America Fund (CAF) high-cost support recipients who missed the July 1, 2024 deadline for network performance testing certification. The order, released May 14, 2025, acknowledges that some carriers experienced technical difficulties, system issues with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), or oversight in submitting their required data.
The Bureau stated it found "good cause" to consider a carrier's certification based on when
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WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau has issued an order granting limited waivers to certain Connect America Fund (CAF) high-cost support recipients who missed the July 1, 2024 deadline for network performance testing certification. The order, released May 14, 2025, acknowledges that some carriers experienced technical difficulties, system issues with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), or oversight in submitting their required data.
The Bureau stated it found "good cause" to consider a carrier's certification based on whenthey contacted USAC regarding their reporting. For carriers that reached out to USAC before the deadline, the Bureau will waive the certification deadline if the carrier clearly communicated an inability to submit data for specific quarters or notified USAC of technical problems. For those contacting USAC after July 1, 2024, the date of contact or response will be considered the certification date. Carriers with no subscribers to test will be considered to have certified on time.
This action comes after several carriers filed petitions for waiver, citing various reasons for their failure to meet the deadline. The FCC emphasized that the annual network performance testing is crucial for ensuring that taxpayer-funded support is used to deploy broadband networks meeting promised standards for rural consumers. Failure to certify typically results in a reduction of support.
While granting these limited waivers, the Bureau clarified that this action does not excuse carriers from other non-compliance measures if they failed network testing or did not submit results at all. The waiver specifically addresses the penalty for late certification, aiming to provide relief in cases where carriers demonstrated an effort to comply or faced legitimate technical hurdles.
The FCC stressed that it remains the responsibility of carriers to ensure compliance with all Commission rules and reporting deadlines, including maintaining up-to-date contact information with USAC. The Bureau directed USAC to restore support to affected carriers in accordance with the order. Future waiver requests for the 2023 data certification will be addressed in a monthly public notice consistent with this decision.
-- Kiran Rana, Targeted News Service
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Docket: DA 25-414; WC Docket No. 10-90
Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-25-414A1.pdf
CFTC Warns Public of Imposter Scam Targeting Fraud Victims
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following news release:
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CFTC Warns Public of Imposter Scam Targeting Fraud Victims
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is warning the public about a growing imposter scam involving individuals falsely claiming to represent the agency.
Scammers are contacting members of the public and claiming to represent the CFTC Office of Inspector General. These imposters promise to help financial fraud victims recover lost funds from foreign bank accounts, a ruse to further defraud those already harmed
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WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following news release:
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CFTC Warns Public of Imposter Scam Targeting Fraud Victims
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is warning the public about a growing imposter scam involving individuals falsely claiming to represent the agency.
Scammers are contacting members of the public and claiming to represent the CFTC Office of Inspector General. These imposters promise to help financial fraud victims recover lost funds from foreign bank accounts, a ruse to further defraud those already harmedby previous scams.
The CFTC Office of Inspector General will never contact individuals with offers to recover money lost to investment scams.
If someone contacts you claiming to be from the CFTC, write down as much information as possible, but do not share or confirm any personal details, including account numbers, Social Security numbers, or digital wallet private keys. End the call immediately.
Email scams may also use fraudulent addresses or domains. All legitimate CFTC emails will come from @cftc.gov -- no exceptions. Government employees will never contact you from personal or web-based email services such as Yahoo! or Gmail.
If you believe you have been the victim of fraud, you may file a complaint with the CFTC's Division of Enforcement or report the incident to the Office of Inspector General through the online portal at www.cftc.gov/OIG.
For questions about emails, letters, or calls that appear to come from the CFTC, contact education@cftc.gov to verify the communication. To learn more about imposter scams, visit https://www.cftc.gov/LearnAndProtect.
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Original text here: https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/9075-25
ALKYL PHOSPHATE ESTERS FROM CHINA INJURE U.S. INDUSTRY, SAYS USITC
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The U.S. International Trade Commission issued the following news release:
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ALKYL PHOSPHATE ESTERS FROM CHINA INJURE U.S. INDUSTRY, SAYS USITC
The U.S. International Trade Commission has made an affirmative determination in its final phase antidumping and countervailing duty investigations concerning Alkyl Phosphate Esters from China.
Note to users: This bulletin will be replaced by the news release when the release is available. News releases are generally issued approximately three hours after a Commission vote.
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Original text here: https://www.usitc.gov/press_room/news_release/2025/er0515_66984.htm
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WASHINGTON, May 15 -- The U.S. International Trade Commission issued the following news release:
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ALKYL PHOSPHATE ESTERS FROM CHINA INJURE U.S. INDUSTRY, SAYS USITC
The U.S. International Trade Commission has made an affirmative determination in its final phase antidumping and countervailing duty investigations concerning Alkyl Phosphate Esters from China.
Note to users: This bulletin will be replaced by the news release when the release is available. News releases are generally issued approximately three hours after a Commission vote.
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Original text here: https://www.usitc.gov/press_room/news_release/2025/er0515_66984.htm
