FCC responds to the Senate hearing

...even though they didn't attend the hearings. From Reuters.

Money to wire schools and libraries to the Internet and help fund rural health care should resume flowing soon, U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell said on Wednesday, a day after lawmakers attacked the agency for stopping funds.

Soon, however, means weeks, whatever that means.

I also didn't know this FCC decision was from the top, Michael Powell. The Democratic commissioners on the FCC didn't even know about the decision to stop funding.

Democrats at the FCC attacked Powell for not informing them about the accounting issue or his decision to halt the funds.

"Was this decision necessary? I don't know because I wasn't in on it. I should have been," Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein said.

Still all is not well.

Despite Powell's pledge that the money would flow again soon, a spokesman for USAC said that under current rules, requests would far outstrip available funds.

"We will have more commitments to issue than money in the bank," USAC spokesman Mel Blackwell said. "We would have to wait until we collect more money."

Just glad to hear about the turnaround because it sounded as though it was too late for any sort of legislative action.