Biden nominates acting FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel for permanent post

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Washington Post

Business

Biden nominates acting FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel for permanent post

The White House, in a bid to avert a Republican majority over the regulator, also tapped former FCC official Gigi Sohn as commissioner.

By Taylor Telford, Tony Romm and Cat Zakrzewski
Today at 11:27 a.m. EDT Updated today at 1:33 p.m. EDT

The White House on Tuesday named Jessica Rosenworcel and Gigi Sohn to top Federal Communications Commission positions in a late bid to stave off a Republican majority over the regulator.

If confirmed, Rosenworcel, the FCC's acting chairwoman, would become the first woman to lead the agency. Sohn, a former FCC official, is a net neutrality advocate.

The FCC has been stymied by vacancies under President Biden's tenure, as the White House contends with a raging public health crisis, supply chain collapse and a torrent of severe weather disasters. Unless both candidates are approved by the Senate before the end of the year, Rosenworcel's term will expire and Republicans will claim a majority in January.

Rosenworcel, who had been widely favored to be Biden's pick, faces a tangled policy landscape that influences how Americans learn, work, shop and communicate. As acting chair, Rosenworcel has tackled robocalls and championed efforts to close the "homework gap," including $3.2 billion for emergency broadband benefits to help millions of students who lack access, according to the FCC.

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By Taylor Telford
Taylor Telford is a reporter covering national and breaking news. Twitter https://twitter.com/taylormtelford

By Tony Romm
Tony Romm is the congressional economic policy reporter at The Washington Post. Twitter https://twitter.com/tonyromm

By Cat Zakrzewski
Cat Zakrzewski is a technology policy reporter, tracking Washington's efforts to regulate Silicon Valley companies. Her reporting covers antitrust, privacy and the debate over regulating social media companies. Twitter https://twitter.com/Cat_Zakrzewski

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/10/26/fcc-chair-rosenworcel-sohn/

[BumRushDaShow]

1. I think people forget

how many positions there are at the various Commissions and this is definitely a critical one.