WASHINGTON-The first Federal Communications Commission employee to be detailed to a
congressional office, Mark Rubin, will be working on issues of more interest to the mass media than the
telecommunications industry, said Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.), his new boss.
Rubin, who once worked in the FCC’s
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, now is in the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs. During his
tenure, Rubin worked on issues related to the implementation of the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement
Act of 1994. CALEA no longer will be one of his priorities, however, Boucher said. Rubin will work on developing a
legislative agenda for the Internet Caucus, which Boucher co-chairs, and on issues related to the home satellite
industry.
Boucher suggested an FCC employee be loaned to him to continue work on his communications priorities.
Boucher needed a temporary employee because his communications counsel, Ann Morton, is on maternity leave, he
said.
On New Years’ Eve, the FCC floated the idea of detailing employees to Capitol Hill for assignments of three
months or less. The letter by OLI Director Sheryl Wilkerson was in response not only to Boucher’s request but previous
requests from other members of Congress for such technical help, said FCC spokeswoman Liz Rose.
When the
letter reached the Hill, it was met with some criticism because it did not seem to take into account the FCC’s current
workload and repeated requests for more staff.
For his part, Boucher believes the program will be beneficial for the
FCC. “This program will give (staff) in the (FCC’s) legislative shop more knowledge (on how Congress
works),” Boucher said.
