A bid by Senate Democrats to get Republican leaders' assurance that a possible successor to FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn will get a confirmation vote at a later date appears to be part of negotiations aimed at including FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and two other commission nominees in a package of nominees up for a full Senate vote before August recess, lobbyists told us. Should Clyburn leave, lobbyists and government officials said Joey Wender, an aide to Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., is among those who has been under consideration. There's no clear frontrunner.
Senate Commerce Eyes Aug. 2 FCC Nominees' Markup; Committee Democrats Seek Deal on Clyburn Successor
The Senate Commerce Committee tentatively plans an Aug. 2 markup on nominations of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, commissioner nominees Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel and other nominees, committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told us Wednesday. Meanwhile, Committee Democrats seek some deal on the FCC nominees that would assuage their concerns about how Senate Commerce would handle a possible Democratic nominee to replace current Commissioner Mignon Clyburn.
Senate Commerce Eyes Aug. 2 FCC Nominees' Markup; Committee Democrats Seek Deal on Clyburn Successor
The Senate Commerce Committee tentatively plans an Aug. 2 markup on nominations of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, commissioner nominees Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel and other nominees, committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., told us Wednesday. Meanwhile, Committee Democrats seek some deal on the FCC nominees that would assuage their concerns about how Senate Commerce would handle a possible Democratic nominee to replace current Commissioner Mignon Clyburn.
With more robocall regulatory steps initiated at Thursday's commissioners' meeting and the agency setting a $2.88 million fine against a robocall technology company, the FCC is sending clear signals about trying to eliminate "this scourge" of robocalls, Chairman Ajit Pai said. "Relief from robocalls is getting closer," he said, voicing support for a do-not-originate system for calls, saying that would be "pretty significant." Mike O'Rielly dissented on levying the fine, saying as precedent it could affect other technology platforms.
Senate Democrats are continuing the vetting process in their search for a so-far elusive consensus candidate to potentially replace FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn at the commission if she retires. Questions about Clyburn's plans have continued amid pending Senate consideration of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's renomination and fellow commission nominees Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel. Clyburn recently said in a C-SPAN interview she didn't intend to leave in the immediate future (see 1706290063 and 1706290070). The search for a potential replacement for Clyburn also raised questions about the extent to which President Donald Trump's administration will be willing give leeway to Senate Democratic leaders' preferred candidate, lobbyists and observers told us.
Senate Democrats are continuing the vetting process in their search for a so-far elusive consensus candidate to potentially replace FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn at the commission if she retires. Questions about Clyburn's plans have continued amid pending Senate consideration of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's renomination and fellow commission nominees Brendan Carr and Jessica Rosenworcel. Clyburn recently said in a C-SPAN interview she didn't intend to leave in the immediate future (see 1706290063 and 1706290070). The search for a potential replacement for Clyburn also raised questions about the extent to which President Donald Trump's administration will be willing give leeway to Senate Democratic leaders' preferred candidate, lobbyists and observers told us.
FCC General Counsel Brendan Carr's nomination to the commission's vacant GOP seat poses as many questions as it answers about the path forward for his confirmation process and those of Democratic FCC nominee Jessica Rosenworcel and FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who requires a vote on his own renomination, industry lobbyists told us. President Donald Trump formally sent Carr's nomination to the Senate at our deadline Thursday. The White House said Wednesday Trump would nominate Carr to both the remainder of the vacant seat's current term, which ends June 13, 2018, and an additional five-year term that expires in June 2023 (see 1706280068). Industry observers told us the Carr and Rosenworcel nominations could signal an imminent period of relative stability at the FCC (see 1706290065).
President Donald Trump’s nomination of Brendan Carr to the open Republican seat at the FCC, combined with that of Jessica Rosenworcel to a Democratic seat, presages relative stability at the agency. Carr is seen as a likely reliable vote for Chairman Ajit Pai on most issues, industry observers told us, and both nominees bring long experience to the job.
FCC General Counsel Brendan Carr's nomination to the commission's vacant GOP seat poses as many questions as it answers about the path forward for his confirmation process and those of Democratic FCC nominee Jessica Rosenworcel and FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who requires a vote on his own renomination, industry lobbyists told us. President Donald Trump formally sent Carr's nomination to the Senate at our deadline Thursday. The White House said Wednesday Trump would nominate Carr to both the remainder of the vacant seat's current term, which ends June 13, 2018, and an additional five-year term that expires in June 2023 (see 1706280068). Industry observers told us the Carr and Rosenworcel nominations could signal an imminent period of relative stability at the FCC (see 1706290065).
President Donald Trump’s nomination of Brendan Carr to the open Republican seat at the FCC, combined with that of Jessica Rosenworcel to a Democratic seat, presages relative stability at the agency. Carr is seen as a likely reliable vote for Chairman Ajit Pai on most issues, industry observers told us, and both nominees bring long experience to the job.