WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission has submitted budgetary estimates to Congress for fiscal year 2027 that call for $398.3 million in budget authority from regulatory fee revenue, down 4.3% from $416.1 million in FY 2026. It is also expecting total spending on salaries and expenses to fall to $531.0 million, down from $548.8 million in FY 2026.
The agency reported that the number of “full-time equivalent" employees will drop to 1,294 in FY 2027, down from 1,404 in FY 2026. The FCC said it plans to achieve the reductions through “planned and early retirements and other attrition.”
In addition, the Commission requested $132,681,000 in budget authority for the Spectrum Auctions Program (Auctions Program). This is at the same level as the FY 2026 enacted level.
In making the request, the agency reminded congress that the Commission’s Spectrum Auctions Program has generated over $233.5 billion for government use and that the total cost of the Spectrum Auctions Program has been less than $2.8 billion or 1.2 percent of the total auctions’ revenue.
The agency did not provide a detailed breakdown of regulatory fees or how the decline in revenue might impact the fees levied on TV and radio broadcasters. Those specifics are typically released mid-year.
More details are available here.
