47 USC § 161 - Regulatory reform

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t47/s161"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "47 USC § 161 - Regulatory reform"
title_number: 47
title_name: "TELECOMMUNICATIONS"
section_number: "161"
section_name: "Regulatory reform"
chapter_number: 5
chapter_name: "WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL PROVISIONS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2025-08-11"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title I, § 11, as added Pub. L. 104–104, title IV, § 402(a), Feb. 8, 1996, 110 Stat. 129.)"
---


# § 161. Regulatory reform

**(a)** **Biennial review of regulations** In every even-numbered year (beginning with 1998), the Commission—

**(1)** shall review all regulations issued under this chapter in effect at the time of the review that apply to the operations or activities of any provider of telecommunications service; and

**(2)** shall determine whether any such regulation is no longer necessary in the public interest as the result of meaningful economic competition between providers of such service.

**(b)** **Effect of determination** The Commission shall repeal or modify any regulation it determines to be no longer necessary in the public interest.

---

**Source Credit**: (June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title I, § 11, as added Pub. L. 104–104, title IV, § 402(a), Feb. 8, 1996, 110 Stat. 129.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), was in the original “this Act”, meaning , , known as the Communications Act of 1934, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see  and Tables.