Supreme Court Affirms Federal Agencies’ Authority to Protect the Public, Upholding FCC Decision

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decisive ruling in FCC v. AT&T, affirming the Federal Communications Commission’s authority to enforce federal law. The decision preserves longstanding legal frameworks that allow agencies to rely on their expertise and policy judgment in addressing corporate wrongdoing, which protects the public from industry overreach and ensures that critical safeguards are fully enforced.

“The Court upheld a practical, time-tested enforcement structure that Congress relies on to protect the public. These enforcement procedures allow agencies to apply their expertise while preserving fairness in court,” said Caroline Flynn, Supreme Court Counsel at Earthjustice. “By rejecting this unsupported attack on agency authority, the Court’s decision safeguards the government’s ability to enforce laws that protect people, communities, and the environment — and makes clear this case was never about the Constitution, but an effort to dismantle how agencies enforce the law.”

The ruling also has direct implications for cases involving other important agencies, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). By upholding the FCC’s authority here, the Court undercut regulated industry’s similar constitutional claim in American Efficient LLC v. FERC, which centers on whether companies can be held accountable for market manipulation in energy efficiency programs. The Court’s decision helps ensure that FERC can police waste, fraud, and abuse in energy markets.