Keep It Moving Act

Key Points

• This bill, called the Keep It Moving Act, creates strict timelines for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to process applications. When companies want to trade or sell communication licenses—like those used for TV, radio, or internet—the FCC would have to decide much faster than they do now.
• The FCC would have just 15 days to decide if an application is complete. Once it's ready, the agency generally has 180 days to give a final "yes" or "no." If the deal involves foreign companies or needs extra research, the agency gets up to one year, but they can't just leave companies waiting indefinitely.
• If the FCC misses its deadlines, a company can ask a court to force the agency to act within 72 hours. If the FCC still wants to deny the application after missing a deadline, they must go to a federal court and prove with "clear and convincing evidence" that the deal is not in the public interest.
• For small, routine changes that don't significantly change who is in control, companies would no longer need to wait for FCC permission in advance. Instead, they would simply notify the agency within 30 days after the change is finished. This aims to cut down on unnecessary paperwork for minor business updates.
• This bill applies to any applications currently waiting for a decision at the FCC as well as any new ones filed after the law passes. By setting these clocks, the bill aims to prevent business deals from being stuck in "regulatory limbo" for years, which supporters say will help the economy move faster.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.