a full court. In a 6-4 vote, the majority of the D.C. Circuit denied the joint petitions for rehearing, and the FCC eventually accepted the rulings. The Lutheran Church celebrated the decision as a victory for freedom of religious expression. Critics of affirmative action or equal opportunity policies also applauded the decision and subsequent loosening of EEO regulations, claiming "The narrowing of affirmative action is not so much the destruction of a time-honored legal mechanism, but rather a return to the original purpose of the policy." Implications This case was one of many that indicated a shift in stance for the federal judiciary, which previously showed deference to the FCC when creating and enforcing EEO and affirmative action policies. As a result, other EEO or affirmative action policies, whether already in place or in the process of being developed, are under a higher level of scrutiny. As a direct response to the case, the FCC proposed several new EEO rules that would require broadcast licensees to inform women and members of minority groups of job vacancies, and to have an opportunity to apply for openings at broadcast stations. The proposed rules would not contain requirements or quotas for employers to meet regarding the makeup of their workforce relative to the composition of the local labor force, and the FCC would not use such comparisons when assessing those types of EEO programs. The case also caused effects in other forms of media when the FCC proposed modifications to its EEO rules for cable and MVPD entities in order to maintain consistency. See also Affirmative action in the United States Federal Communications Commission Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod References External links Federal Communication Commission Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Recent opinions from FindLaw 1998 in United States case law United States affirmative action case law United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit cases Federal Communications Commission litigation Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod