Public Notice of the FCC's Disability Advisory Committee

July 2020 — The FCC is now accepting applications for its Disability Advisory Committee (DAC). The Committee composes recommendations on topics under the FCC’s purview that the agency is considering for rule-making or regulations. In previous years, the Committee has provided recommendations on the following subject matter: telecommunications relay services, closed captioning, video description, access to emergency information on television, telephone emergency notifications, device accessibility, technology transitions, and the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program. The FCC notes that the Committee’s size is left to the agency’s discretion and is based on its own measures of appropriate size to effectively accomplish the Committee’s work. Members of the Committee are not eligible to receive payment or honoraria for their services nor are they provided with reimbursements for travel expenses.* 

*Note: The FCC allocates a small fund for members who demonstrate financial need for travel expenses.  

Who: The FCC welcomes applications from interested persons with disabilities, consumer organizations, industry and trade associations, corporations, governmental entities, or other entities from both the public and private sectors that wish to be considered for membership on the Committee. 

What: The FCC will consider applicants based on expertise and diversity of viewpoints necessary to effectively address the topics before the Committee.  

When: Applicants must be willing to commit to a two-year term of service, should be willing to attend at least three one-day meetings each calendar year, either in-person or, if appropriate, by teleconference, and should expect to participate in at least one working group or subcommittee.  Working group deliberations are conducted primarily through email and teleconferences.  

How:  Applications should be submitted via an online application at https://www.fcc.gov/disability-advisory-committee/membership-application (preferred), via email to DAC@fcc.gov, or via US Mail to the Federal Communications Commission, Consumer, and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Attn:  Debra Patkin, 445 12th Street S.W., Room 3-C438, Washington, DC 20554. Note: Due to Coronavirus, the FCC is no longer accepting hand or messenger delivered documents.  

Restrictions: Individuals who are federally registered as lobbyists are not eligible to apply.  [Source: FCC].