Rosenworcel's Term Ends Amid Talk of a Possible Return Under Trump

“There’s political will” to bring Rosenworcel back “but just now you’ve got the numerical issues with the commission that I think are going to make it challenging until we get into a new administration,” Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told us Tuesday. “I guess that means there’s probably not enough political will. I suspect in the new administration, she may be somebody that gets renominated.”

Thune backed Rosenworcel’s reconfirmation last Congress. A leadership-level deal that also would have addressed reconfirmation for Commissioner Ajit Pai fell apart in the session’s waning days. Her term expired in summer 2015, and Thune unanimously cleared her from the Commerce Committee that December.

Schumer’s office last month requested the Obama White House renominate Rosenworcel for another FCC term Jan. 3, the first day Congress is back. The White House previously declined comment on that request (see 1612210029) and didn’t comment Tuesday. The transition team for Trump also didn't comment. Other Democrats who requested her renomination this year include former Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., also pressing for Obama to act specifically during this brief window of time before his administration ends Jan. 20, and Commerce Committee ranking member Bill Nelson, D-Fla., and Tom Udall, D-N.M.

Rosenworcel "has made enormous contributions during her tenure," emailed Georgetown Law Institute for Public Representation Senior Counselor Andrew Schwartzman. "Her tenacity has brought us major advances in public safety, broadband deployment, availability of spectrum and, especially, by defining and reducing the Homework Gap to bring broadband to many more young Americans and their teachers. She has been an extraordinary public servant and I hope that she has the opportunity to continue this work long into the future." It was "especially unfortunate" that Rosenworcel was "the innocent victim of the mindless partisanship that has crippled Congress in recent years," he said. "This did not have to happen to her, and it should not happen again to her or to any other highly qualified nominee with bipartisan support.”

Rosenworcel posted a scenic picture of the California coast and said "Could get used to this" in a recent Instagram message, one among many showing a visit to the Bay Area, that caught the attention of some observers.

Rosenworcel focused on connecting Americans in a written farewell that provided highlights of her priorities as commissioner since May 11, 2012, while also looking ahead. “It has been an honor, a privilege, and a wild ride,” she said in the lengthy statement Friday. "It has provided me with a front row seat at the digital revolution. Every day I have been able to see how communications technology is remaking every aspect of civic and commercial life. This experience has convinced me -- truly, madly, deeply -- that the future belongs to the connected. No matter who you are or where you live in this country, you need access to modern communications to have a fair shot at 21st century success.”

“You may only make one 911 call in your life, but it will be the most important call you ever make," Rosenworcel said in addressing public safety. "The ways we connect are changing at a blistering pace. But by and large, our nation's emergency systems were built for an earlier era. In fact, they were developed and are still optimized for traditional landline phones. This is a problem. But during my tenure I sought to draw attention to this issue -- and develop solutions. As a result, public safety officials and carriers are on course to provide texting to 911. They are also working together to provide dispatchable location technology so that for every wireless call to 911 -- indoors and outdoors -- first responders can find you. ... I also worked with public safety officials to highlight funding challenges -- from the diversion of 911 fees for purposes unrelated to emergency communications to the need for support programs for next generation 911 under the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act.”

Discussing the future of education technology, Rosenworcel cited her push to modernize the FCC's E-rate discounts subsidizing telecom services and connections for schools and libraries. "The program has been rebooted, reinvigorated, and recharged," she wrote. "It now has clear capacity goals -- with sights set on Gigabit speeds. It has a modernized technology model, with a new premium on Wi-Fi to facilitate one-to-one learning environments. It also has an updated budget -- with an eye to the future of education. These changes are expected to provide 20 million more students with high-speed service in their classrooms and libraries." She said more needs to be done to address the homework gap by connecting students without good broadband access at home.

Rosenworcel said she was proud to have updated the FCC's broadband definition from 4 Mbps to 25 Mbps, and to have consistently backed net neutrality. "Our Internet economy is the envy of the world," she wrote "What produced this dynamic engine of entrepreneurship and experimentation is a foundation of openness. Sustaining the openness that has made us innovative, fierce, and creative is vitally important. Moreover, I believe we have a duty to protect what has made the Internet the most dynamic platform for free speech ever invented. That is why I supported network neutrality rules to prevent online blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization.”

She also addressed her efforts on, and the future of, various other issues: wireless/spectrum policy, consumer protection, innovation and "women and STEM" (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). And she expressed gratitude to all of her commissioner colleagues, FCC staff and the American people.