Federal Regulatory Agencies
Here's a look at documents from federal regulatory agencies
Featured Stories
NRC Adopts Leaner, More Risk-Focused Reactor Oversight Process
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued the following news release:
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NRC Adopts Leaner, More Risk-Focused Reactor Oversight Process
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved updates to its Reactor Oversight Process that streamline inspections while preserving strong, independent oversight of the nation's nuclear power plants. The changes reflect sustained industry performance, technological advances, and direction from Executive Order 14300 and the bipartisan ADVANCE Act.
"These changes right-size our oversight program, reflect the high levels of industry
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued the following news release:
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NRC Adopts Leaner, More Risk-Focused Reactor Oversight Process
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved updates to its Reactor Oversight Process that streamline inspections while preserving strong, independent oversight of the nation's nuclear power plants. The changes reflect sustained industry performance, technological advances, and direction from Executive Order 14300 and the bipartisan ADVANCE Act.
"These changes right-size our oversight program, reflect the high levels of industrysafety performance and will allow the NRC and industry to focus on what matters most today," NRC Chairman Ho K. Nieh said. "The ROP is designed to evolve, and we will continue refining it based on staff insights and performance trends of licensees."
New efficiencies in plant oversight will yield an estimated 38% reduction in baseline inspection hours while keeping the agency's rigorous, independent oversight in place. These changes are based on stakeholder feedback and real-world experience. With consistently strong performance, inspections can focus more on key areas, such as engineering, emergency preparedness, and radiation protection. The updates will also reduce duplicate requests and repeated activities, allowing both NRC and plant staff more time to focus on safety-significant activities.
The revised ROP reinforces the key role of NRC resident inspectors in maintaining strong oversight. Each operating plant will continue to have at least two resident inspectors who will focus on more targeted baseline reviews, which will help reduce the size and frequency of broader regional inspections.
Nuclear plant operators will continue to be responsible for safety and correcting noncompliances. The revised ROP also changes how "more than minor" findings are evaluated. These changes will result in fewer findings categorized as very low safety significance and will improve clarity and consistency in how issues are reported.
Read more in the new backgrounder (https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/bg-rop-rebaselining) and the Commission's direction. The staff's proposed changes were previously made public in SECY 26-0014.
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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission was created as an expert, technical agency to protect public health, safety, and security, and regulate the civilian use of nuclear materials, including enabling the deployment of nuclear power for the benefit of society. Among other responsibilities, the agency issues licenses, conducts inspections, initiates and enforces regulations, and plans for incident response. The global gold standard for nuclear regulation, the NRC is collaborating with interagency partners to implement reforms outlined in new Executive Orders and the ADVANCE Act to streamline agency activities and enhance efficiency.
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Original text here: https://www.nrc.gov/sites/default/files/cdn/doc-collection-news/2026/26-036.pdf
FCC Takes Action to Speed Up Rollout of Modern, High-Speed Networks
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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FCC Takes Action to Speed Up Rollout of Modern, High-Speed Networks
Agency to Streamline Process to Retire Copper Lines, Freeing Up Billions for New Networks
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Today, the Federal Communications Commission adopted rules that will get communities off of old and slow copper lines and onto new, high-speed networks. Today's actions will allow providers to retire their decades-old and increasingly expensive copper line networks, freeing up tens of billions of dollars annually
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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FCC Takes Action to Speed Up Rollout of Modern, High-Speed Networks
Agency to Streamline Process to Retire Copper Lines, Freeing Up Billions for New Networks
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Today, the Federal Communications Commission adopted rules that will get communities off of old and slow copper lines and onto new, high-speed networks. Today's actions will allow providers to retire their decades-old and increasingly expensive copper line networks, freeing up tens of billions of dollars annuallyfor the roll out of upgraded, high-speed networks to more Americans. This marks another step forward in the FCC's Build America Agenda.
Today's communications marketplace offers consumers and businesses a vast array of advanced communications services, far beyond the legacy voice service that first connected Americans in the 19th century. However, the expansion of these modern networks and their benefits to consumers has been hindered by the need for carriers to divert precious resources to the maintenance of deteriorating legacy networks that deliver outdated services to an ever-decreasing number of subscribers.
To spur network modernization and obtain the benefits from end-to-end Internet Protocol (IP) networks and truly ubiquitous availability of high-speed broadband nationwide, today's actions reduce regulatory burdens, allowing providers to invest more resources toward modernizing their networks so all consumers can access advanced communications services.
More specifically, through today's Report and Order, the FCC takes several actions to bring the regulatory environment in line with today's communications marketplace, while retaining or adopting safeguards to protect public safety and ensure continuity of 911 services. This includes eliminating the filing requirements associated with FCC rules implementing the statutory network change disclosure mandate; overhauling and streamlining rules applicable to technology transitions discontinuance applications under section 214; and granting blanket section 214(a) authority for carriers to grandfather legacy voice services, lower-speed data telecommunications services, and interconnected Voice over IP (VoIP) service provisioned over copper wire. In accordance with the FCC's "Delete, Delete, Delete" effort, today's actions also eliminate other rule provisions rendered irrelevant.
Additionally, the record has shown that certain state and local requirements have prolonged the use of legacy networks and hindered the deployment of modern ones. Today's Report & Order addresses state and local requirements that would hinder the modernization enabled by these rules. If state and local statutes and regulations force providers to devote resources to maintaining deteriorating legacy networks and provisioning near-obsolete services to fewer subscribers even after the FCC has approved the provider's application to discontinue legacy services, those state requirements conflict with federal law and are subject to preemption.
Action by the Commission March 26, 2026 by Public Notice (FCC 26-19). Chairman Carr, Commissioners Gomez and Trusty approving and issuing separate statements.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-420132A1.pdf
FCC Strengthens Protections for Public Funds
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on March 26, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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FCC Strengthens Protections for Public Funds
Re: Modernizing Suspension and Debarment Rules, Report and Order, Direct Final Rule, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, GN Docket No. 19-309 (March 26, 2026)
As I have long said, the FCC must be a good steward of federal dollars and a vigilant administrator of its USF programs. In the past, our suspension and debarment rules have only applied to the FCC's USF programs and are limited to specific misconduct.
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on March 26, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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FCC Strengthens Protections for Public Funds
Re: Modernizing Suspension and Debarment Rules, Report and Order, Direct Final Rule, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, GN Docket No. 19-309 (March 26, 2026)
As I have long said, the FCC must be a good steward of federal dollars and a vigilant administrator of its USF programs. In the past, our suspension and debarment rules have only applied to the FCC's USF programs and are limited to specific misconduct.Today's item fixes this gap by building on our other work to strengthen the integrity of our USF programs by proposing to apply suspension and debarment safeguards more broadly, including beyond USF to the FCC's other programs including its Rip and Replace program, and to a wider range of misconduct.
This item also promotes greater accountability and policing among program recipients, including by requiring program participants, their board members, and other company executives to disclose prior misconduct and ensure that the parties with whom they do business under our programs are not currently suspended or debarred. In doing so, we are making clear that bad actors who threaten our networks or misuse federal funds will not be allowed to participate in those programs in the future.
I would like to thank Tom Driscoll, Irene Ly, Wisam Naoum, Brayden Parker, Michael Scurato, Paula Silberthau, Anjali Singh, Adam Candeub, and Chin Yoo for their hard work on this item. I look forward to moving this effort forward.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-420137A2.pdf
FCC Strengthens Protections for Public Funds
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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FCC Strengthens Protections for Public Funds
New Suspension and Debarment Tools Bolster Protections for Programs Including Universal Service Fund and Telecommunications Relay Services
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Today, the Federal Communications Commission adopted an item bolstering its suspension and debarment program to align it with other agencies, and seeking comment on expanding the program to allow for the broader removal of participants that commit waste, fraud, and abuse.
Today's action
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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FCC Strengthens Protections for Public Funds
New Suspension and Debarment Tools Bolster Protections for Programs Including Universal Service Fund and Telecommunications Relay Services
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Today, the Federal Communications Commission adopted an item bolstering its suspension and debarment program to align it with other agencies, and seeking comment on expanding the program to allow for the broader removal of participants that commit waste, fraud, and abuse.
Today's actionupdates FCC processes to align them with government-wide best practices and enables the agency to take quicker and more comprehensive action against wrongdoers so as to better protect these programs from abuse and ensure limited resources are used responsibly to connect all Americans. The Report and Order adopts rules allowing the Commission to promptly and efficiently exclude or otherwise limit bad actors' participation in Congressionally-mandated funding programs, such as the Universal Service Fund, Telecommunications Relay Services program, and the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program.
Specifically, the new rules align FCC program management with the Office of Management and Budget's Guidelines for Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension, the government-wide standards governing debarment proceedings. The rules are also tailored to accommodate the unique nature and design of the Commission's programs. The FCC will now be able to consider a wider range of misconduct by program participants that warrants removal, act more quickly in appropriate cases to cut off funds to bad actors, and promote increased and earlier transparency by program participants. Additionally, the new rules create an additional FCC-specific remedy called a Limited Denial of Participation that empowers the agency to address less egregious misconduct that still warrants restricting participation in Commission programs outside of the suspension and debarment process.
As part of today's vote, the Commission also adopted a Direct Final Rule to adopt the most up-to-date version of the OMB Guidelines, and a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that proposes extending the suspension and debarment rules to additional agency programs and proposes adoption of a mandatory reporting requirement to assist the agency in better protecting federal funds.
Action by the Commission March 26, 2026 by Report and Order, Direct Final Rule, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 26-18). Chairman Carr, Commissioners Gomez and Trusty approving. Chairman Carr and Commissioner Trusty issuing separate statements.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-420137A1.pdf
FCC Proposes Call Center Onshoring, English Proficiency Requirements
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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FCC Proposes Call Center Onshoring, English Proficiency Requirements
Rulemaking Also Seeks to Disincentivize Call Centers from Facilitating Robocall Scams
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Today, the Federal Communications Commission voted to launch a new proceeding looking into the use of offshore call centers. The Commission will seek comment on proposals that would encourage businesses to bring call center jobs back to the U.S. and improve customer service at existing call centers, including a proposal
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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FCC Proposes Call Center Onshoring, English Proficiency Requirements
Rulemaking Also Seeks to Disincentivize Call Centers from Facilitating Robocall Scams
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Today, the Federal Communications Commission voted to launch a new proceeding looking into the use of offshore call centers. The Commission will seek comment on proposals that would encourage businesses to bring call center jobs back to the U.S. and improve customer service at existing call centers, including a proposalto require call takers to be proficient in American Standard English. The proceeding also explores ways to financially deter illegal robocalls that originate abroad by seeking comment on the targeted use of fees or bonds.
Over the past few decades, many corporations shifted their customer service and call center operations from America to a range of foreign countries - with nearly 70 percent of U.S. companies outsourcing at least one department. These moves not only took jobs away from communities across the country, they created a range of other problems as well. Today, consumers in the U.S. regularly experience frustration and poor customer service when they connect with a call center located abroad. There can be communication and other barriers that make it difficult, if not impossible, for consumers to get a satisfactory resolution to their problems.
Foreign call centers have also contributed to the onslaught of robocalls facing American households and businesses. Bad actors often leverage the training and infrastructure of legitimate call centers to defraud Americans. In addition, overseas call centers often work with customers' sensitive payment and account information, posing a risk to privacy, data protection, and national security.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) adopted today focuses on customer service centers run by communications providers regulated by the FCC, an industry that consistently ranks amongst the lowest in customer satisfaction surveys. The NPRM launches a proceeding that will seek comment on: ways to encourage and facilitate the onshoring of call centers; steps that can be taken to improve customer service and data security; ways to combat illegal robocall scams that originate inside foreign call centers; and the scope of the FCC's legal authority on these fronts. Today's action specifically asks about ideas such as: empowering consumers to transfer calls to a U.S.-based location and requiring that calls involving certain types of sensitive information be handled domestically; requiring covered providers to disclose the location of the call center during the customer interaction; requiring disclosure to consumers of the extent of a provider's use of U.S. call centers; and requiring workers at call centers to be proficient in American Standard English and otherwise be trained appropriately for resolving issues with U.S. customers. The NPRM also seeks comment on the idea of requiring the use of bonds or fees to prevent robocalls.
Action by the Commission March 26, 2026 by Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 26-16). Chairman Carr, Commissioners Gomez and Trusty approving and issuing separate statements.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-420129A1.pdf
FCC Plan for Reliable Spectrum Access for Cutting-Edge Space Missions
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on March 26, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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FCC Plan for Reliable Spectrum Access for Cutting-Edge Space Missions
Re: Spectrum Abundance for Weird Space Stuff, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, SB Docket No. 26-54 (March 26, 2026).
Over the years, the licensing team in the Space Bureau mostly handled applications to operate satellites, which is not too surprising. But the workstream for the team a few floors above us today is quickly changing.
Just look at the new types of applications that are
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on March 26, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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FCC Plan for Reliable Spectrum Access for Cutting-Edge Space Missions
Re: Spectrum Abundance for Weird Space Stuff, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, SB Docket No. 26-54 (March 26, 2026).
Over the years, the licensing team in the Space Bureau mostly handled applications to operate satellites, which is not too surprising. But the workstream for the team a few floors above us today is quickly changing.
Just look at the new types of applications that arecoming in. SpaceX has announced a plan to launch one-million data centers into space. Starcloud followed with a plan for 88,000 orbital data centers. And then came Blue Origin with a plan for 51,000.
And it's not just AI compute. Companies are racing to produce energy--whether solar or nuclear--in space. Manufacturers are now looking to make pharmaceuticals in space--the legal kind, of course. The list of unconventional activities in orbit will only continue to increase as the cost of getting mass into orbit continues to decrease. And there is another dynamic at play too. Believe it or not, the environmental conditions in deep, dark space may be better for many industrial projects than they are on Earth.
All of this stuff in space--whether or not you consider them "weird"-- needs spectrum, even though we are not talking here about communications satellites. Spectrum provides the necessary link for safety and control operations, or what the spectrum geeks call TT&C. Unfortunately, next-gen missions have been constrained by a shortage of predictable, commercial spectrum for this type of TT&C. It has proven to be a real limit on the ability to launch and deploy unconventional services.
Today we tackle that challenge head-on. We propose to clarify for good when cutting-edge missions can use commercial spectrum for TT&C. We explore market based approaches that can put existing spectrum bands to more intensive use for these purposes. And we examine new spectrum bands that could support cutting-edge missions on a dedicated basis.
America's space companies, even the weird ones, need plentiful access to spectrum. With today's action, we continue our spectrum abundance agenda to support our builders in space.
For their exceptional work on this item, I thank Stephen Duall, Jameyanne Fuller, Kathyrn Medley, Brandon Padgett, Sankar Persaud, Jeanine Poltronieri, and Jay Schwarz.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-420134A2.pdf
CPSC Expands Enforcement Targeting Hazardous Wire Grill Brushes Manufactured Overseas
BETHESDA, Maryland, March 27 -- The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued the following statement on March 26, 2026, by Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman:
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CPSC Expands Enforcement Targeting Hazardous Wire Grill Brushes Manufactured Overseas
Today, the CPSC is announcing a major recall of more than 10 million Nexgrill metal wire bristle grill brushes due to a dangerous design defect that allows metal bristles to detach and be swallowed without detection. These brushes, manufactured in China, present a serious ingestion hazard.
Detached metal bristles can lodge in the throat or digestive
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BETHESDA, Maryland, March 27 -- The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued the following statement on March 26, 2026, by Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman:
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CPSC Expands Enforcement Targeting Hazardous Wire Grill Brushes Manufactured Overseas
Today, the CPSC is announcing a major recall of more than 10 million Nexgrill metal wire bristle grill brushes due to a dangerous design defect that allows metal bristles to detach and be swallowed without detection. These brushes, manufactured in China, present a serious ingestion hazard.
Detached metal bristles can lodge in the throat or digestivetract and may require medical treatment to remove. Nexgrill is aware of at least 68 reports of bristles detaching, including five incidents in which consumers swallowed bristles and required medical treatment. Consumers should stop using these brushes immediately and switch to non-wire alternatives. This is a known hazard, and the Commission has spent months pressing manufacturers to address it.
Today's announcement follows the recall of approximately 3.2 million Weber wire grill brushes last month. Together, these actions send a clear message to industry: identify and fix known hazards quickly or face escalating enforcement.
The Commission expects manufacturers to act promptly when safety hazards come to light. When firms delay or fail to implement appropriate corrective actions, CPSC will use the full weight of its enforcement authorities to protect the public. As the Commission evaluates related violations of the Consumer Product Safety Act, including possible reporting violations, it may consider, where appropriate, a firm's lack of cooperation in implementing corrective actions as an aggravating factor in assessing civil penalties.
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Original text here: https://www.cpsc.gov/About-CPSC/Chairman/Peter-A-Feldman/Statement/CPSC-Expands-Enforcement-Targeting-Hazardous-Wire-Grill-Brushes-Manufactured-Overseas
