§159 Regulatory fees

Summary

The Commission must charge regulatory fees to pay for the work listed under section 156(a), but only up to the amounts and when Congress approves them in Appropriations Acts. Each year the Commission must set fee rates so the money it expects to collect matches those approved amounts for that fiscal year. Every year the Commission must adjust the fee schedule to show changes in how many units must pay and to reach the needed total. It may round fees to the nearest $5. The schedule can also be changed to reflect the full‑time equivalent number of employees in the Commission’s bureaus and offices, taking into account factors tied to the benefits fee‑payers get, but the total amount to be collected for the year cannot change. Fees do not apply to government or nonprofit entities, amateur radio licensees under part 97 (47 CFR part 97), or noncommercial radio or TV stations. The Commission may also excuse a party if collecting the fee would cost more than the fee itself. Collected fees go into the account that funds the listed activities, and any extra money above the approved total for a year is sent to the U.S. Treasury general fund for deficit reduction.