Biden Proposes FY 2022 FCC, FTC Budget Increases

May 28, 2021 by Jimm Phillips and Karl Herchenroeder|Bulletin

President Joe Biden proposed substantial budget increases Friday for the FCC and FTC for FY 2022, in documents released Friday afternoon.

The FCC would get almost $388 million, a 14% increase over the $341 million it received in FY 2021. An FCC budget document lumped in the $33 million it received in the FY 2021 appropriations and COVID-19 aid package to implement the Broadband Deployment Accuracy and Technological Availability Act, which would put the commission’s proposed budget increase for FY 2022 at 3.7%.

The administration is requesting $390 million for the FTC. That’s an 11% increase over the $351 million it got for FY 2021 and 110 more full-time employees from FY 2021. Commissioners approved the budget request 4-0, acting Chairwoman Rebecca Kelly Slaughter wrote OMB Friday. The agency expects to collect $13 million from Do Not Call fees and $136 million from Hart-Scott-Rodino filing fees. The FTC is requesting $18.5 million for the additional 110 employees.