Federal Regulatory Agencies
Here's a look at documents from federal regulatory agencies
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FCC Deletes Obsolete Rules
WASHINGTON, March 28 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on March 27, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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FCC Deletes Obsolete Rules
Re: Delete, Delete, Delete, Direct Final Rule, GN Docket No. 25-133 (March 26, 2026)
One year ago this month, we launched our In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete proceeding to cut the deadwood from the Code of Federal Regulations and eliminate rules that no longer serve the public interest. Today, we vote on our seventh direct final rule and close out phase one of this historic deregulatory effort.
Today's order will eliminate
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WASHINGTON, March 28 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following statement on March 27, 2026, by Chairman Brendan Carr:
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FCC Deletes Obsolete Rules
Re: Delete, Delete, Delete, Direct Final Rule, GN Docket No. 25-133 (March 26, 2026)
One year ago this month, we launched our In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete proceeding to cut the deadwood from the Code of Federal Regulations and eliminate rules that no longer serve the public interest. Today, we vote on our seventh direct final rule and close out phase one of this historic deregulatory effort.
Today's order will eliminate18 rule provisions, over 6,400 words, and covering over 10 pages in the Part 1 of the CFR. Many of these are outdated procedural rules that serve no purpose except to bloat rulebook.
Across this first phase, the FCC has now cut roughly 1,274 rule provisions, 149,566 words, and more than 338 pages of obsolete regulations. The vast majority of deadwood is gone. But we're not slowing down. On deck for 2026 is licensing and permitting reform, eliminating unnecessary paperwork, and smashing technological silos that have held back innovation for decades.
None of this is possible without the FCC's top tier team. Their hard work to identify and eliminate wasteful rules is yielding great results. And for their work on today's item, my thanks to David Konczal, Scott Bouboulis, Mary Lovejoy, Gary Michaels, Kelly Quinn, Cameron Duncan, Michele Wu-Baily, Hayley Steffen, Michelle Schaefer, Jonathan Williams, and all the staff across the agency who made this possible.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-26-15A2.pdf
FCC Wireline Competition Bureau Issues Public Notice: E-Rate & Rural Health Care Programs' Inflation-Based Caps for Funding Year 2026
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau issued the following public notice (CC Docket No. 02-6; WC Docket No. 02-60) on March 25, 2026:
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Pursuant to sections 54.507(a)(3) and 54.619(a)(3) of the Commission's rules,/1 the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announces the E-Rate and Rural Health Care (RHC) programs' annual caps for funding year 2026./2 The adjusted amounts represent a 2.8% inflation-adjusted increase to both programs' funding year 2025 annual caps./3
E-Rate Program: The E-Rate program funding cap for funding year 2026 is
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau issued the following public notice (CC Docket No. 02-6; WC Docket No. 02-60) on March 25, 2026:
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Pursuant to sections 54.507(a)(3) and 54.619(a)(3) of the Commission's rules,/1 the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announces the E-Rate and Rural Health Care (RHC) programs' annual caps for funding year 2026./2 The adjusted amounts represent a 2.8% inflation-adjusted increase to both programs' funding year 2025 annual caps./3
E-Rate Program: The E-Rate program funding cap for funding year 2026 is$5,200,279,829./4 This amount represents a 2.8% inflation-adjusted increase to the 2025 annual cap of $5,058,637,966./5 In 2010, the Commission adjusted the E-Rate program's annual cap based on the rate of inflation using the Gross Domestic Product - Chain-type Price Index (GDP-CPI) to help ensure funding kept pace with the changing broadband and telecommunications needs of schools and libraries./6
RHC Program: The RHC program funding cap for funding year 2026 is $744,161,841./7 The internal cap for upfront payments and multi-year commitments in the Healthcare Connect Fund program is $187,898,742./8 The internal cap for upfront payments and multi-year commitments will apply only if RHC program demand exceeds available funding./9 These new funding caps represent a 2.8% inflation-adjusted increase to the $723,892,841 RHC program funding cap and the $182,780,877 internal cap for the Healthcare Connect Fund program's multi-year commitments and upfront payments from funding year 2025./10 In 2018, the Commission indexed the RHC program annual cap to the rate of inflation to ensure RHC program funding kept pace with the changing broadband and telecommunications needs of rural health care providers./11 In 2020, the Commission indexed the internal cap on multi-year commitments and upfront payments to the rate of inflation to prevent inflation from eroding the purchasing power of health care providers requesting multi-year commitments and upfront payments through the Healthcare Connect Fund Program./12
For further information, please contact James Bachtell, Wireline Competition Bureau at (202) 418-7400.
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Footnotes:
1/ 47 CFR Sec.Sec. 54.507(a)(3), 54.619(a)(3).
2/ 47 CFR Sec.Sec. 54.507(a)(1)-(2); 54.619(a)(1)-(2) (requiring an adjustment of the E-Rate and RHC programs' annual caps for funding based on the gross domestic product chain-type price index (GDP-CPI) measure of inflation). See also Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism; A National Broadband Plan For Our Future, CC Docket No. 02-6, GN Docket No. 09-51, Sixth Report and Order, 25 FCC Rcd 18762, 18782, para. 39 (2010) (E-Rate Sixth Report and Order); Promoting Telehealth In Rural America, WC Docket No. 17-310, Report and Order, 33 FCC Rcd 6574, 6580, para. 13 (2018) (RHC Program Funding Cap Order); Promoting Telehealth in Rural America, WC Docket No. 17-310, Report and Order, 34 FCC Rcd 7335, 7400-02, paras. 138-140 (2019) (2019 Promoting Telehealth Report and Order). We note that the E-Rate program is formally known as the schools and libraries universal service support program.
3/ National Income and Product Accounts Table, Bureau of Economic Analysis, revised Mar. 13, 2026, Table 1.1.4 (GDP-CPI), https://apps.bea.gov/iTable/?reqid=19&step=2&isuri=1&categories=survey&_gl=1*14yafjt*_ga*NTA2OTA0NDM 0LjE3MDg2MjQwMDQ.*_ga_J4698JNNFT*MTcwODYyNDIxNy4xLjEuMTcwODYyNTkyMy41NC4wLjA.#eyJhcHBpZCI6MTksInN0ZXBzIjpbMSwyLDMsM10sImRhdGEiOltbImNhdGVnb3JpZXMiLCJTdXJ2ZXkiXSxbIk5JUEFfVGFibGVfTGlzdCIsIjQiXSxbIkZpcnN0X1llYXIiLCIyMDI0Il0sWyJMYXN0X1llYXIiLCIyMDI1Il0sWyJ TY2FsZSIsIjAiXSxbIlNlcmllcyIsIkEiXV19. We calculate an increase of 2.8% in the rate of inflation based on the gross domestic product average across four quarters of 125.430 in 2024 and 128.996 in 2025. We note that the 2024 gross domestic product figure was revised upward by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) since the date the Bureau announced the E-Rate and RHC program annual caps for funding year 2025. See, e.g., Wireline Competition Bureau Announces E-Rate and RHC Programs' Inflation-Based Caps for Funding Year 2025, CC Docket No. 0206, WC Docket No. 02-60, Public Notice, 40 FCC Rcd 1530, 1530 n.3 (WCB 2025) (FY 2025 Inflation Funding Cap Public Notice) (using a gross domestic product figure of 125.234 for 2024 to determine E-Rate and RHC programs' annual caps for funding year 2025).
4/ This amount represents a $141,641,863 increase for the E-Rate program funding cap as a whole, including a $105,965,609 increase for the category one services funding level and a $35,676,254 increase for the category two services funding level. See 47 CFR Sec. 54.507(a)(3) (noting that the Bureau will release a public notice "announcing any increase of the annual funding cap including any increase to the $1 billion funding level available for category two services based on the rate of inflation"). The E-Rate program's funding year 2026 runs from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.
5/ See supra note 3; FY 2025 Inflation Funding Cap Public Notice.
6/ E-Rate Sixth Report and Order, 25 FCC Rcd at 18781, para. 36. The Commission did not increase the funding cap for funding year 2015 pursuant to section 54.507(a)(1) of the Commission's rules. 47 CFR Sec. 54.507(a)(1).
7/ This represents a $20,269,000 increase for the RHC program funding cap. The RHC program's funding year 2026 runs from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.
8/ This represents a $5,117,865 increase for the internal cap on multi-year commitments and upfront payments under the Healthcare Connect Fund Program.
9/ See 47 CFR Sec. 54.619(a); see also Promoting Telehealth in Rural America, WC Docket No. 17-310, Order on Reconsideration, Second Report and Order, Order, and Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 38 FCC Rcd 827, 852, para. 60 (2023).
10/ See RHC Program Funding Cap Order, 33 FCC Rcd at 6584, para. 23; 2019 Promoting Telehealth Report and Order, 34 FCC Rcd at 7401, para. 139; FY 2025 Inflation Funding Cap Public Notice.
11/ 47 CFR Sec. 54.619(a)(1)-(2); RHC Program Funding Cap Order, 33 FCC Rcd at 6583, para. 21.
12/ 47 CFR Sec. 54.619(a)(1)-(2); 2019 Promoting Telehealth Report and Order, 34 FCC Rcd at 7401, para. 139.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-291A1.pdf
FCC Proposes New Numbering Policies to Help Combat Illegal Robocalls
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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FCC Proposes New Numbering Policies to Help Combat Illegal Robocalls
Proposal Will Explore Ways to Make It Harder for Bad Actors to Obtain Phone Numbers
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Today, the Federal Communications Commission adopted an item proposing to expand certification and disclosure requirements to all providers that receive telephone numbering resources--directly or indirectly, and to increase visibility into what entities are doing with these finite resources--to stop scammers from exploiting
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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 New Numbering Policies to Help Combat Illegal Robocalls
Proposal Will Explore Ways to Make It Harder for Bad Actors to Obtain Phone Numbers
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Today, the Federal Communications Commission adopted an item proposing to expand certification and disclosure requirements to all providers that receive telephone numbering resources--directly or indirectly, and to increase visibility into what entities are doing with these finite resources--to stop scammers from exploitinggaps in the system. In doing so, this proposal focuses on stopping bad actors before a call even originates by tightening how numbers are obtained and used, in order to strengthen the Commission's robocall enforcement efforts.
The FCC is cracking down on the scourge of illegal robocalls by tackling the problem at every stage of a call's lifecycle. From blocking to traceback, from call authentication to robocall mitigation, the FCC is making it harder for fraudsters to ring your phone. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted today attacks this issue at the very first stage of the call path--numbering. While bad actors can initiate an illegal robocall in a variety of ways, their efforts to deceive American consumers start with a telephone number. And that is what the FCC's proposals focus on today.
The Notice will seek comment on and evaluate whether to adopt changes to the Commission's policies with respect to how assigned numbering resources are used, reported, and resold by service providers. As part of this Notice, the Commission proposes to further extend the robocall certification requirements to all service providers that receive numbering resources directly from the North American Numbering Plan Administrator and to resellers. The Notice also proposes changes to service provider reporting that would enhance transparency into whether numbers are resold and how they are used.
The FCC's Enforcement Bureau has found that the majority of its robocall investigations have involved resold numbers. This alone necessitates a closer look at how these bad actors are obtaining numbers in the first place. The Commission will explore and propose a range of solutions to strengthen its numbering requirements and policies, particularly as they relate to resellers that use numbering resources to engage in some of the most extensive illegal robocalling schemes, such as number "cycling" in which service providers churn through large quantities of telephone numbers on a rotating and even single-use basis to evade detection.
Action by the Commission March 26, 2026 by Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 26-17). Chairman Carr, Commissioners Gomez and Trusty approving. Chairman Carr and Commissioner Trusty issuing separate statements.
WC Docket Nos. 26-49, 20-67, 13-97, 07-243
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-420130A1.pdf
FCC Deletes More Obsolete Rules in Effort to Cut Red Tape and Improve Modern Network Deployment
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following news release on March 26, 2026:
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FCC Deletes More Obsolete Rules in Effort to Cut Red Tape and Improve Modern Network Deployment
In its latest installment of the "Delete, Delete, Delete" proceeding, the Federal Communications Commission today voted to remove a number of outdated procedures by rescinding obsolete provisions relating to the FCC's Office of Economics and Analytics and the Office of International Affairs, cutting unnecessary regulatory burdens so licensees can move faster and focus on modern
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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 Deletes More Obsolete Rules in Effort to Cut Red Tape and Improve Modern Network Deployment
In its latest installment of the "Delete, Delete, Delete" proceeding, the Federal Communications Commission today voted to remove a number of outdated procedures by rescinding obsolete provisions relating to the FCC's Office of Economics and Analytics and the Office of International Affairs, cutting unnecessary regulatory burdens so licensees can move faster and focus on modernnetwork deployment.
The identified 18 rules targeted for removal cover over 6,400 words and more than 10 pages in the Code of Federal Regulations. To eliminate unnecessary burdens faced by the public, the FCC's "Delete, Delete, Delete" proceeding has sought comment on every rule, regulation, or guidance document for possible rescission. The proceeding has produced overwhelming public comment and constructive feedback that will be considered both in Delete and other proceedings.
This Direct Final Rule is the Commission's seventh in the series to modernize the Commission's regulatory framework. In December, the Commission approved the deletion of 36 rules on long-forgotten technologies that regulate obsolete equipment like analog cable receivers and long-gone cordless phones. The Commission has been focused on eliminating outdated rules since the "Delete, Delete, Delete" proceeding began last summer which has resulted in reduced regulatory unnecessary burdens, accelerated infrastructure deployment, promoted network modernization, spurred innovation, and streamlined the regulatory process.
Action by the Commission March 26, 2026 by Report and Order (FCC 26-14). Chairman Carr and Commissioner Trusty approving. Commissioner Gomez approving in part and dissenting in part. Chairman Carr and Commissioner Gomez issuing separate statements.
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-420139A1.pdf
FCC Announces Deadlines for 2026 Annual Access Charge Tariff Filings
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued an order outlining the schedule and procedures for the July 1, 2026 Annual Access Charge Tariff Filings (WC Docket No. 26-50). This directive serves as a reminder to incumbent local exchange carriers regarding the requirements for submitting 2026 annual access charge tariffs and tariff review plans.
The Commission confirmed that all annual access charge tariff filings will carry an effective date of July 1, 2026. Submission deadlines are determined by the nature of the filing, with 15-day notice filings for rate increases due
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Federal Communications Commission issued an order outlining the schedule and procedures for the July 1, 2026 Annual Access Charge Tariff Filings (WC Docket No. 26-50). This directive serves as a reminder to incumbent local exchange carriers regarding the requirements for submitting 2026 annual access charge tariffs and tariff review plans.
The Commission confirmed that all annual access charge tariff filings will carry an effective date of July 1, 2026. Submission deadlines are determined by the nature of the filing, with 15-day notice filings for rate increases dueon June 16, 2026, and 7-day notice filings for rate reductions due on June 24, 2026. To be considered officially received on the deadline, electronic submissions must be completed through the Electronic Tariff Filing System between 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time the previous evening and 7:00 p.m. on the day of the deadline.
Under the established rules, price cap carriers must submit revised tariffs annually. While rate-of-return carriers typically file in even-numbered years, the Commission reminded all such carriers that they must submit filings this year to remain compliant with rules regarding the recovery of revenue lost during the transition of switched access rates. The Commission uses tariff review plan worksheets to verify that annual adjustments to eligible recovery are implemented correctly, following the conclusion of a multi-year rate transition that ended for most carriers between 2018 and 2020.
Interested parties wishing to challenge these filings must adhere to a compressed schedule. For 15-day notice filings, petitions are due by 7:00 p.m. on June 23, 2026, with replies due by noon on June 29, 2026. For 7-day notice filings, petitions are due by noon on June 29, 2026, with replies due by noon on June 30, 2026. Due to the limited time for review, the Commission has waived certain standard service rules, requiring parties filing petitions to serve the relevant carrier by personal delivery, facsimile, or email. All pleadings must reference the title information found in the docket (WC Docket No. 26-50).
-- Vidhi Gianani, Targeted News Service
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-254A1.pdf
EEOC Sues Silver Cross Hospital Over Vaccine Mandate
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release:
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EEOC Sues Silver Cross Hospital Over Vaccine Mandate
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Federal lawsuit alleges that hospital denied a religious accommodation and fired employee for asking
CHICAGO - Silver Cross Hospital, based in New Lenox, Illinois, violated federal law when it failed to provide a reasonable accommodation to an employee who requested to be exempt from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine because of her religious beliefs, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit announced
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release:
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EEOC Sues Silver Cross Hospital Over Vaccine Mandate
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Federal lawsuit alleges that hospital denied a religious accommodation and fired employee for asking
CHICAGO - Silver Cross Hospital, based in New Lenox, Illinois, violated federal law when it failed to provide a reasonable accommodation to an employee who requested to be exempt from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine because of her religious beliefs, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit announcedtoday.
According to the EEOC's suit, a certified surgical technologist first requested a religious accommodation from the hospital's COVID-19 vaccine mandate in August 2021 because of her Christian beliefs. The hospital denied her request for an accommodation, and retaliated by terminating her employment in November 2021, even though she could have been accommodated without undue hardship, according to the suit.
"Workplace rules like vaccination requirements-while not inherently discriminatory-must adhere to Title VII's protections for religious accommodation," said Catherine Eschbach, acting general counsel for the EEOC. "These protections are a core safeguard of federal civil rights law. Where an accommodation can be provided without undue hardship, the law requires it. Unfortunately, that did not occur in this case."
Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination because of religion as well as retaliation for complaining about it. The EEOC filed the lawsuit (EEOC v. Silver Cross Hospital, Civil Action No. 1:26-cv-3343) in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process. The EEOC seeks monetary damages for the employee, including compensatory and punitive damages, and injunctive relief to prevent such unlawful conduct in the future.
For more information on religious discrimination and retaliation, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/religious-discrimination and https://www.eeoc.gov/retaliation.
The EEOC's Chicago District Office has jurisdiction over Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and North and South Dakota, with Area Offices in Milwaukee and Minneapolis.
The EEOC is the sole federal agency authorized to investigate and litigate against businesses and other private sector employers for violations of federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. For public sector employers, the EEOC shares jurisdiction with the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division. The EEOC also is responsible for coordinating the federal government's employment antidiscrimination effort. More information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/eeoc-sues-silver-cross-hospital-over-vaccine-mandate
EEOC Sues Ourisman Automotive Group for Racial Harassment
WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release:
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EEOC Sues Ourisman Automotive Group for Racial Harassment
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Federal lawsuit says car dealership managers failed to act when manager used racial slurs towards black salesmen
BALTIMORE - Ourisman Edgewood I, Inc., trading as Ourisman Toyota 40, and parent company Ourisman Cars Management Company, LLC, which owns and operates approximately 50 car dealerships in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., violated federal employment law by failing to take effective remedial action in response
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WASHINGTON, March 27 -- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued the following news release:
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EEOC Sues Ourisman Automotive Group for Racial Harassment
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Federal lawsuit says car dealership managers failed to act when manager used racial slurs towards black salesmen
BALTIMORE - Ourisman Edgewood I, Inc., trading as Ourisman Toyota 40, and parent company Ourisman Cars Management Company, LLC, which owns and operates approximately 50 car dealerships in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., violated federal employment law by failing to take effective remedial action in responseto racial harassment of car salesmen, according to a new lawsuit the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today.
According to the suit, after a finance manager at the Edgewood, Maryland dealership called a black car salesman "boy," in February 2023, the salesman complained to the dealership's management. Despite counseling by dealership management, the finance manager again referred to the salesman as "boy." The salesman complained to management again, but days later the finance manager for a third time used the term "boy" to address a group of black salesmen. When the black salesmen protested the finance manager's repeated use of the term "boy" to refer to black men, the finance manager responded, "good night [the N-word]s!" The company did not remove the finance manager from his position or impose another serious consequence. As a result, two of the salesmen felt compelled to leave their jobs, according to the complaint.
"The use of racial slurs at work must be treated as serious misconduct, requiring the employer to immediately take effective measures to correct and prevent continued harassment," said Debra Lawrence, regional attorney for the EEOC's Philadelphia District Office. "When the employer fails to act, the EEOC will."
The alleged conduct violated Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits harassment based on race. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Ourisman Cars Management Company, LLC and Ourisman Edgewood I, Inc., t/a Ourisman Toyota 40), Case No. 1:26-cv-01233) in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.
"Eliminating racial discrimination will always be at the forefront of the Commission's activities," said EEOC's Philadelphia District Director Jamie R. Williamson. "The more society advances, the more unacceptable this type of harassment becomes."
For more information on race discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/racecolor-discrimination.
The EEOC's Baltimore Field Office is one of four offices in the EEOC Philadelphia District Office, which has jurisdiction over Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, and parts of New Jersey, and Ohio. Attorneys in the EEOC Philadelphia District Office also prosecute discrimination cases in Washington, D.C. and parts of Virginia.
The EEOC is the sole federal agency authorized to investigate and litigate against businesses and other private sector employers for violations of federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. For public sector employers, the EEOC shares jurisdiction with the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division. The EEOC also is responsible for coordinating the federal government's employment antidiscrimination effort. More information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/eeoc-sues-ourisman-automotive-group-racial-harassment
