. >> host: telecommunications subcommittee chair greg walden has stated he is going to hold fcc reform hearings. what you think of that idea and what reforms would you make in the fcc decision-making process that you have been able to witness over the last year? >> guest: i am always pleased with positive engagement with congress. i don't pretend as a regulator in this space that i have all of the answers and sometimes fresh eyes on this is a good thing. and i trust it will be so here. in terms of review processing, when we can put things on the fast-track, when we can simplify and streamline, i think we are and will do and we will continue to do that in a number of ways and that will continue to be a proponent of that. so things like that that i think would expedite in terms of intake and to put things on the fast-track i think would be benefiting us. but all these large significant very detailed transactions to expect a very expedited, very short-term decision from the fcc i think with not be in terms of long-term benefits to the american public. certain things, certain significant t

would like to defend us and our democrats obvious a, but not all republicans have felt that way and greg walden who is the chairman of the house communications subcommittee, has come it paints is a, the house of representatives is one half, up one-third of the federal government, and with the house of representatives does is only the beginning of a debate and not the end of it. and what happened in the course of this challenge is that the democrats in the house and the senate have been quite firm in their support of public broadcasting, assess president obama. and so when you have a tripartite negotiation at the end of the continued regulation process with speaker boehner and majority leader harry reid and president obama in the room, the forces who are opposed to public broadcasting are all of a sudden outnumbered. so i think it's been an encouraging affirmation of the fact that we are, we are held in high esteem across the political spectrum, as tom was suggesting. and that once these votes are actually counted, i think there will be plenty of republicans in both the house and the senate who

but the great agility back to greg walden and see if i can push that. >> in the back. >> chairman stearns, i appreciate your remarks about reforming the sunshine act. the results of the congressional review was also the rule for congress to repeal any government regulation. however, there is exception of the statute of the health communications act and now there have been several resolutions of net neutrality. would you be in favor of amending the statute to limit and only exception in that provision they are in the telecommunication act? >> i don't know if i want to make any broad statements this morning, but i think the point is well-made. i have my legislative director your that's going to take down that. i think it's worthwhile. tell me in your opinion if that was amended, what would be the impact -- immediate impact? >> the impact would be anything serious a rule pending right now. i don't know whether it's congressman shadegg or some other paths that, but elisa would clarify whether that was a resolution. by repealing not in the fcc rules or anyone who wanted it, just like the epa o

greg walden, the chairman of the house communications subcommittee, has been at pains to say that the house of representatives is one-half of one-third of the federal government and that what the house of representatives does is only the beginning of a debate and not the end of it. what has happened in the course of this challenge is that the democrats in the house and the senate have been quite firm in the support of public broadcasting, as has president obama. when you have a 3 part negotiation at the end of the continuing resolution process, with speaker boehner, harry reid, and president obama in the room, the forces opposed to public broadcasting are suddenly out numbered. it has been an encouraging affirmation of the fact that we are held in high esteem across the political spectrum, as tom was suggesting. once these votes are actually counted, i think there are going to be plenty of republicans in both the house and the senate who agree that public broadcasting is valuable, is essential, and deserves continued federal funding even in an era where budget deficits are very diffic

i was talking to greg walden. he is the house gop leadership chairman. the deputy national republican congressional committee chairman. he said that 40% of the freshman never held public office. this really battle-tested them. this is how legislation were. compromise means you're not getting everything that you want. but to stop everything in the middle of a war, you just cannot do it practically. politically speaking, you do not want to do it. but that would not work. and again, that message really hit home, the reality really hit home. host: massachusetts on a republican line, troy, go ahead. caller: i wanted to ask a question. could you please, pedro, state what the present budget is for 2010, what the deficit will be for 2010, what the debt is, which i now believe is $14.3 trillion, and the total of our own paid obligations are? because that is the status of the federal government. and i never hear that stated when people call in. i think one of the criteria for them speaking is to be able to identify those numbers. host: i would defer on that becaus

defund us than there are democrats, obviously, but not all republicans have felt that way, and greg walden, who's the chairman of the house communications subcommittee, has been at pains to say that the house of representatives is one half of one third of the federal government and that what the house of representatives does is only the beginning of a debate and not the end of it, and what has happened in the course of this challenge here is that the democrats in the house and the senate have been quite firm in their support of public broadcasting, as has president obama. and so, when you have a tripartide negotiations at the end of the continuing resolution process with speaker boehner and majority leader harry reid and president obama in the room, the forces who were opposed to public broadcasting are outnumbered. so i think it's been a -- an encouraging affirmation of the fact that we are held in high esteem across the political spectrum, as tom was suggesting, and that once these votes are actually counted, there are -- i think there are going to be plenty of republicans in both the ho