The State Department announced Thursday said Anna Gomez has been named to lead U.S. preparations for the World Radiocommunication Conference, which starts Nov. 20 at the Dubai World Trade Centre in the United Arab Emirates. Gomez will also serve as a senior adviser for international information and communications policy at State. Gomez was at one point widely rumored as a candidate for FCC commissioner. She was a lawyer at Wiley and previously served as deputy administrator of the NTIA and deputy chief of the FCC International Bureau. “WRC-23 will be tackling a range of issues aimed at facilitating new and emerging terrestrial and space-based technologies that can connect people everywhere, including spectrum for next generation mobile broadband systems, satellites, maritime and aeronautical services, and scientific applications,” said a news release: “WRC-23 is a significant opportunity to advance the United States’ interests related to telecommunications, innovation, economic growth, and national security.” Gomez’s “extensive experience and her proven track record in government oversight of spectrum management makes her uniquely qualified to serve as the U.S. Representative to WRC-23,” said CTIA President Meredith Baker. “During her tenure at NTIA she has advocated for expanding broadband access for all Americans, and at the FCC she worked extensively on critical international issues,” Baker said: “She has been a champion for consistency across agencies and has the leadership skills we need to ensure America continues to lead in wireless.”
Wireless Infrastructure Association names Amelia De Jesus, ex-Crown Castle, vice president-workforce solutions (see 2301100059) ... Gibson Dunn names former Apple Chief Privacy Officer Jane Horvath partner, co-chairing Privacy, Cybersecurity and Data Innovation Practice … Motion Picture Association hires for U.S. government affairs department Hap Rigby, from Wiley, as senior vice president-federal government affairs and Kenneth Mallory, from Meta, as vice president-media policy/regulatory counsel, both effective Jan. 23.
National Hispanic Media Coalition CEO Brenda Castillo and the leaders of 20 other groups urged President Joe Biden a day before he renominated Gigi Sohn to be the third FCC Democrat (see 2301030060) to instead “nominate a person of Latino descent” to the commission. Two of the names of potential candidates to replace Sohn as Biden’s FCC nominee before Tuesday -- former acting NTIA Administrator Anna Gomez, ex-Wiley, and NASA Chief of Staff Susie Perez Quinn -- are Latina (see 2212300044). The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (see 2102110043) and others began pressing Biden to nominate a Latino FCC commissioner in early 2021.
Supporters of FCC nominee Gigi Sohn have gotten indications the Biden administration wants to renominate her in January, but there’s been no definitive word this will happen amid uncertain internal Senate dynamics. That lack of clarity in part stems from Senate leaders not yet being able to guarantee Sohn would get as swift a confirmation process as the White House and others want, lawmakers and lobbyists said in interviews. The Senate failed to hold any floor votes on Sohn before the chamber left town just before Christmas, and it won’t return until just before the 118th Congress gavels in Tuesday. Sohn’s 2022 confirmation process stalled in March after the Commerce Committee tied 14-14 on advancing her to the floor (see 2203030070). Biden first nominated her in October 2021 (see 2110260076).
CTIA names Jeremy Crandall, ex-National Association of Community Health Centers, assistant vice president-state legislative affairs … HWG promotes telecom lawyer Jason Neal to partner … Former FCC Media Bureau Deputy Chief Michelle Carey joins Charter Communications as vice president-policy.
China Tech Threat urged the FCC to be more aggressive in clamping down on companies that are a risk to U.S. security, and to expand the number of companies on the agency’s “covered list.” Apart from “the proposed complete ban on Huawei and ZTE, the FCC has devised major exemptions for Hytera Communications Corporation, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, and Dahua Technology Company,” the group said in a filing posted Thursday in docket 21-232: “These exemptions are so broad that they effectively negate the security benefits proposed by the Covered List.” China Tech Threat said the list “should include hundreds, if not, thousands, of entities capable of enabling [Chinese] government intrusion.” The FCC should consider adding “products and services which use radio spectrum” including computers, streaming TVs, drones, memory chips and applications, the group said. The group examines problems posed by technology produced by China with an eye on policy. Experts affiliated with the group include Wiley’s Nazak Nikakhtar and Strand Consult’s Roslyn Layton.
Noting an FCC structure built for another era without mega constellations or space entrepreneurship, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel unveiled plans Thursday for an International Bureau reorganization including creating a Space Bureau to handle all space-related issues and a stand-alone Office of International Affairs. Agency and space industry officials said one hoped-for effect would be swifter processing of space operation applications. The commission didn't comment on expected time frame for the reorganization or what kind of additional resources the new bureau might have.
Wireless carriers remain hopeful on the outlook for the 3.1-3.45 GHz band, despite recent comments by John Sherman, DOD chief information officer, about the high costs and long time frame for clearing the spectrum (see 2209190061). Industry experts note spectrum in recent FCC auctions has come with some protection for incumbent users, which will likely also be the case for 3.1 GHz.
The National Treasury Employees Union endorsed FCC nominee Gigi Sohn as the Senate adjourned Thursday for a six-week pre-election recess. Sohn’s confirmation process has been stalled since March, but Hill supporters believe her confirmation prospects will improve once the Senate returns in November for the lame-duck session (see 2209130065). The White House is continuing to hold out for a Senate vote on Sohn, but lobbyists told us the Biden administration is considering at least two potential candidates to replace her if she fails to make it through: former acting NTIA Administrator Anna Gomez, ex-Wiley (see 2207010056), and NASA Chief of Staff Susie Perez Quinn. NTEU-affiliated FCC staffers “benefit when there is sound and stable leadership at the agency, and we are concerned with the continued vacancy,” National President Anthony Reardon said in a letter to Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. Sohn “is a highly qualified nominee,” knows “the agency well and she would be an excellent member of the Commission. Furthermore, I feel that any further delay in the confirmation of her nomination threatens to inhibit progress at the FCC to the detriment of both the workforce and the American consumer.” It’s “time for the country to allow this Commission and its employees to be fully staffed and functioning,” Reardon said.
The FCC's Communications Equity and Diversity Council needs more time to draft model policies for localities to prevent digital discrimination, the group said at its meeting Friday, which had been expected to include a vote on final recommendations for the agency (see 2202230065.