Stearns Primary Defeat Opens Subcommittee Opportunities
The primary defeat of Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., surprised many and left others wondering how his departure would affect the composition of the House Commerce Committee. The twelve-term congressman and chairman of the House Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee conceded to Ted Yoho Wednesday after a tightly fought primary race. Industry officials said Stearns’ defeat opens up some key spots on both the Oversight and Communications subcommittees.
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"A lot of people woke up surprised this morning,” said Veronica O'Connell, CEA vice president-congressional affairs. “I think it’s going to be a huge loss for the committee. The congressman and chairman has been a huge leader on tech issues and we'll miss his experience and leadership on these issues. He has asked the tough questions of the regulators on key policy issues.” The race was just “unpredictable,” said Amy Mehlman, a Republican telecom lobbyist at Mehlman Capitol Strategies, saying he “will be sorely missed."
Stearns had been a strong conservative voice on telecom issues amid his recent investigations into Solyndra and Planned Parenthood. Stearns was an advocate for FCC reforms and earlier this year joined with House Commerce Committee Republicans in urging the FCC to reveal its decision making behind the LightSquared fiasco. Stearns was active on cybersecurity issues and, as an online consumer privacy advocate, he authored the Consumer Privacy Protection Act (HR-1528) and the Data Accountability and Trust Act (HR-1841). Most recently Stearns introduced a bill with Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., to require the FCC to pair for commercial auction the 1755-1780 MHz band with the 2155-2180 MHz band (CD April 27 p3).
Rumors began circulating Wednesday about who would take over the Oversight Subcommittee gavel with Tennessee Republican Marsha Blackburn at the top of the list, industry lobbyists said. “Blackburn is up there in seniority … and I assume that she would be interested and up for it if leadership is interested,” Mehlman said. Blackburn is a five-term member of the Commerce Committee who generally supports limited federal regulation of the Internet and briefly supported and then opposed the Stop Online Piracy Act last winter.
CEA would “be totally supportive” of Blackburn becoming the Oversight Subcommittee chair, O'Connell said. “Her knowledge of the technology issues is something that we appreciate and support. … She really makes an effort to know the industry that she is covering within the committee.” Blackburn’s spokesman declined to comment on the rumors: “Her focus is on making sure Republicans expand our margins in the House, win back control of the Senate and make sure that Governor Mitt Romney is elected President of the United States so we can implement the policies necessary to get America’s economy back on track,” he said.
Stearns’ departure also narrows the number of candidates to replace Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., if he decides to relinquish his gavel to focus on a bigger role at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), observers said. Word that Walden might replace NRCC Chairman Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, fueled spring speculation that Walden might relinquish his chairmanship of the subcommittee (CD May 11 p1). “The Stearns defeat is interesting not only because it opens up [the chairmanship of the Oversight Subcommittee], but also because it creates a question of who’s going to take” the Communications Subcommittee, a Republican lobbyist said. “Now this sort of reshuffles the deck.” Lobbyists said that besides Stearns, Environment and Economy Subcommittee Chairman John Shimkus, R-Ill., and Communications Subcommittee Vice Chairman Lee Terry, R-Neb., were likely candidates to replace Walden.