Free Press and Public Knowledge criticized Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Wednesday for setting a follow-up hearing on Democratic FCC nominee Gigi Sohn (see 2202020069). The second meeting is expected to mainly focus on Sohn’s commitment to temporarily recuse herself from some FCC proceedings (see 2201270073) and her role as a board member for Locast operator Sports Fans Coalition. “It is unfortunate that” the absence of Communications Subcommittee Chair Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., while he recovers from a stroke “was seen by some as a reason to hold a second hearing on Gigi Sohn’s nomination, particularly when” Senate Commerce “could use the time as an opportunity to consider moving forward on privacy, spectrum, or a host of other issues pent up," said PK CEO Chris Lewis. “The hearing scheduled for next Wednesday seems like nothing more than an opportunity to give these baseless concerns raised by industry an opportunity to hobble the appointment of a consumer champion” to the FCC. “Perhaps one way to avoid that consequence would be for members to call on” Cantwell to request Sohn “withdraw her recusal letter and follow historic precedent, which is to accept the advice of the Office of Government Ethics and the FCC's General Counsel,” Lewis said. Cantwell’s decision means “we have to deal with Senator [Roger] Wicker’s [R-Miss.] disingenuous and blatant obstructionism over this crucial nomination,” said FP General Counsel Matt Wood. With Cantwell “caving to unreasonable demands from opponents to Sohn, we’re going to see a hearing full of political posturing that serves no one except industry players eager to draw out the calendar and keep the FCC deadlocked. There is plenty of blame to go around for this situation, with the White House’s indecision and delays last year, and [Wicker's] continued opportunistic nonsense.” Commerce didn’t comment.
Jimm Phillips
Jimm Phillips, Associate Editor, covers telecommunications policymaking in Congress for Communications Daily. He joined Warren Communications News in 2012 after stints at the Washington Post and the American Independent News Network. Phillips is a Maryland native who graduated from American University. You can follow him on Twitter: @JLPhillipsDC
Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell of Washington told us she plans to press forward with a Feb. 9 follow-up hearing on FCC nominee Gigi Sohn (our bulletin is here), despite misgivings from some fellow committee Democrats and other supporters of the nominee. Commerce delayed a planned Wednesday vote on Sohn and Democratic FTC nominee Alvaro Bedoya because Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., is recovering from a stroke (see 2202010070).
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel "was invited" to testify at a planned Thursday House Transportation Aviation Subcommittee hearing on the aviation safety implications of commercial wireless operations in the C band (see 2202010073) "and would have attended except for a prior commitment," a spokesperson emailed. She instead "is set to meet with" Transportation Chairman Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., and Aviation Chairman Rick Larsen, D-Wash., "before the hearing." The panel includes two wireless sector officials: CTIA President Meredith Baker and former FCC Technological Advisory Committee Chairman Dennis Roberson. FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson and six aviation industry executives are scheduled to appear.
The Senate Commerce Committee will “probably” postpone planned Wednesday votes on Democratic FCC nominee Gigi Sohn and FTC nominee Alvaro Bedoya amid expectations that Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., would be unable to appear at the meeting after having a stroke, Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., told reporters Tuesday afternoon. Also see our news bulletin. Sohn’s prospects of making it through the committee were already uncertain as a handful of uncommitted panel members kept mum about their intentions.
The Senate Commerce Committee plans to hold a second hearing with Democratic FCC nominee Gigi Sohn Feb. 9, Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., confirmed to us Wednesday. The hearing will focus on “whatever questions people have” about the nominee, including her commitment to temporarily recuse herself from some FCC proceedings involving retransmission consent and broadcast copyright matters, Cantwell said. The panel delayed a planned Wednesday vote on Sohn and FTC nominee Alvaro Bedoya after news circulated that Communications Subcommittee Chairman Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., was recovering from a stroke and wouldn’t be available to give the nominees unified Democratic support.
The Senate Commerce Committee will “probably” postpone planned Wednesday votes on Democratic FCC nominee Gigi Sohn and FTC nominee Alvaro Bedoya amid expectations that Senate Communications Subcommittee Chairman Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., would be unable to appear at the meeting after having a stroke, Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., told reporters Tuesday afternoon. Lujan’s expected vote in favor of Sohn would be crucial to ensure Sohn receives the 14 Democratic votes needed to reach a Senate Commerce tie given expectations that no Republicans will back her, lobbyists said.
The House Rules Committee will consider several telecom- and tech-focused amendments to the America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology and Economic Strength Act (HR-4521) Tuesday, for a potential floor vote on the measure later this week. The measure mirrors some elements of the Senate-passed U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (S-1260), including $52 billion in subsidies to encourage U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturing (see 2201260062). Many proposed amendments aim to make changes to the chips language.
Democratic FCC nominee Gigi Sohn’s proposal Thursday to temporarily recuse herself from some retransmission consent and broadcast copyright proceedings if confirmed (see 2201270073) is unlikely to satisfy her most vocal opponents but may be enough to solidify support from the Senate Democratic caucus, communications lobbyists and others told us. The Senate would be able to confirm Sohn if all 50 Democratic caucus members vote for her because of Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaker role. The additional recusals aren’t likely to significantly affect Sohn’s role as a commissioner since neither retrans nor broadcast copyright items were matters the commission was expected to take up under Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
Democratic FCC nominee Gigi Sohn told the FCC Thursday she will, if confirmed, recuse herself during the first three years of her term “from any proceeding before the Commission where retransmission consent or television broadcast copyright is a material issue.” Sohn’s recusal pledge appears to be the result of negotiations with Senate Commerce Committee leaders aimed at securing support from all 14 Democrats before a planned Wednesday panel vote to advance her nomination to the full chamber, lobbyists told us. Some panel Republicans pressed for concessions from Sohn over ethics concerns about her role as a board member for Locast operator Sports Fans Coalition (see 2201130071).
Democratic FCC nominee Gigi Sohn told the agency Thursday she will, if confirmed, recuse herself during the first three years of her term “from any proceeding before the Commission where retransmission consent or television broadcast copyright is a material issue.” Sohn’s pledge appears to be the result of negotiations with Senate Commerce Committee leaders aimed at securing support from all 14 Democrats ahead of a planned Feb. 2 panel vote to advance her nomination to the full chamber, lobbyists told us. Some panel Republicans had been pressing for concessions from Sohn over ethics concerns about her role as a board member for Locast operator Sports Fans Coalition.