Wheeler 'Didn't Address the Concerns at All' on Set-top Proposal, Clarke Says
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler “didn’t answer the question about whether he would delay rendering a decision until after the GAO impact study is out” regarding his set-top box proposal, said Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., in an interview Thursday about a…
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private meeting between Wheeler and the House Democratic caucus the day before. “I didn’t hear him make a response to that. … he spoke about some interests that he felt were in favor of his proposal, and that was basically it.” The issue was known to have come up in the exchange between Wheeler and House Democrats, among many other topics (see 1604270063). Clarke has joined with Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., to call for a GAO impact study of the set-top proposal. She has led several members outlining concerns, including more than 50 Democrats requesting a pause in the FCC proceeding. “He didn’t address the concerns at all,” Clarke said of the meeting with Wheeler. “He came with his perspective, presented it and that was basically it. … I intend to go about educating my colleagues as much as possible so they can make an informed decision as we continue to press for them to delay and have the GAO do a study of the impact and hopefully we’ll get a louder chorus of members who will be interested in doing a study.” She said the issue is “to be continued” and with “more conversation” inevitable. The Wheeler meeting with House Democrats was an “opening salvo,” she said. “Certainly, he tried to make it seem as though his perspective is a global perspective with respect to the set-top box issue,” Clarke said. “And I think there’s just a lot more to uncover here than he presented. I’m sure there’ll be subsequent presentations to members because it’s a very complex issue. And I think that people are concerned that they’re not drawn in the middle of sort of a clash of the titans but have a far more in-depth understanding of what the implications are for future communications, if you will.”