WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission officially launched its Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, naming Ken Moran as its acting chief. The agency has been in the process of creating the new bureau for about a year; FCC Chairman Kevin Martin announced his intent to form the bureau in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Martin told reporters that Moran is acting chief because Congress only approved the bureau two or three weeks ago. The “acting” title allows the commission to continue searching for a permanent bureau chief. Martin said he would continue to look outside the agency for a permanent chief. “We are going to look at some outside folks, but I am confident that Ken Moran will be able to do an excellent job for us. He has been doing an excellent job for us,” said Martin.
Moran previously was director of the FCC’s Office of Homeland Security.
The new bureau will have a large portfolio of issues including 911, digital wiretap, priority access, emergency alert, communications-infrastructure protection, network security and reliability, as well as disaster management, planning, coordination and response.
In addition, the new bureau is set to handle the licensing functions for public-safety agencies. However, licensing functions for critical-infrastructure and private-wireless entities will remain under the jurisdiction of the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
With the creation of the new bureau, it becomes even less clear what policy issues the wireless bureau will handle beyond auction policy. Other large policy issues of interest to the wireless industry-including protecting customer call records-are handled by the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau.
RCR Wireless News first reported in July 2005 that Martin wanted to eliminate the wireless bureau, move its functions to other bureaus and perhaps create a new bureau.
The slimmed-down WTB will continue to be run by Catherine Seidel, who has been acting chief for almost 18 months.
“Cathy is doing a great job there. I think she is doing a great job,” Martin told reporters, noting that he would consider making Seidel a permanent chief, but that he has to confer with the other FCC commissioners.
However, it does not appear that Martin has asked his fellow commissioners to make Seidel a permanent chief. Usually, commission chairman are allowed to choose their own bureau chiefs, but the appointments must be approved by the fully commission.
Traditionally, a person from inside the commission takes on the “acting chief” position, while a candidate from the outside is chosen-as may be the case with Moran-or until an appointment can receive formal approval. It is highly unusual for a person to remain in the acting-chief role for more than a year.
As part of the creation of the new homeland-security bureau, David Furth was named associate chief, moving him over from the wireless bureau. His primary responsibility will be overseeing the 800 MHz band reconfiguration.
