Senate Approval of Clyburn, Baker Gives FCC Full Slate
The FCC is expected to be running with five commissioners within a week, after paperwork is done and Democrat Mignon Clyburn and Republican Meredith Baker are sworn in, commission officials said. The Senate approved their nominations Friday. It has been more than six months since the FCC had five commissioners in place. Former Republican Deborah Tate left Jan. 5. Chairman Kevin Martin resigned Jan. 20 as the Obama administration took over.
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The Senate action Friday took some by surprise, after the confirmations failed to pass by unanimous consent Wednesday (CD July 24 p7). Several administration nominees, including Chairman Julius Genachowski, have had to wait weeks for approval as unnamed senators blocked votes, often for reasons unrelated to the nominees’ qualifications. Some speculated that the Senate’s decision to put off work on health-care legislation until after the August recess opened a window for approval of nominees. Nominations often are used as bargaining chits behind the scenes by senators seeking action on other matters.
At our deadline, the FCC had not announced plans for swearing-in ceremonies for the two new commissioners. Baker told us the commission is working on a plan for both to “get started as soon as possible.” Clyburn didn’t reply to messages Friday afternoon. Both probably will be on board for the commission’s meeting Aug. 27, industry and Hill sources said. Genachowski issued statements welcoming the new commissioners. “With the full slate of Commissioners on board, I look forward to working with all of my colleagues on policies that promote innovation, investment, competition, and consumers,” he said.
Senate Commerce Committee leaders and trade groups released statements welcoming the confirmations. Several regulatory proceedings await the attention of the new commissioners, including work on the national broadband plan, the overhaul of intercarrier compensation, universal service fund rules and possible new regulation of the special access market. The FCC also needs to decide whether and how to auction the D block. Commissioner Michael Copps had staff preparing an options memo for the new commission during his tenure as acting chairman. Other issues before the commission include decisions on whether to let studios send movies to cable and satellite-TV subscribers before they go on DVD by waiving CableCARD rules. Media matters include decisions on how cable and telco-TV companies must treat public access channels, and on how Sirius XM should set aside channels for minorities under the FCC’s order approving the satellite radio companies’ merger.