Bush appoints new NTIA head: Cheney assistant to take top spot

President Bush appointed Neil Suryakant Patel to head the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, a week after lawmakers raised concerns about what the leadership changeup might mean for billion-dollar public-safety and digital TV transition programs.
Patel currently serves as Vice President Dick Cheney’s assistant for domestic and economic policy, and before that was staff secretary to the vice president. Patel served as assistant general counsel at UUNET Technologies Inc. earlier in his career.
“Neil Patel has been a dedicated public servant whom I have known for the past seven years. I am pleased someone of Neil’s caliber is filling this position at NTIA at such a crucial time,” said Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin. “Neil’s extensive experience with technology and telecommunications issues will immediately help advance NTIA’s goals and ultimately benefit consumers across multimedia platforms. I look forward to working with Neil on a broad range of issues, and especially as we prepare the country for the transition to digital.”
Word got out last week that acting NTIA director Meredith Baker would be leaving her post. Baker, a former congressional affairs specialist at cellular industry association CTIA, took the reins at NTIA after the resignation of John Kneuer last November. She has been overseeing the implementation of the Bush spectrum policy initiative, a $1 billion public-safety interoperability grant program, and a $1.5 billion coupon program to help to consumers defray the cost of converting to digital TV technology by February 2009.
Meantime, controversy continues to swirl over the pending reappointments of FCC members Jonathan Adelstein (D) and Deborah Taylor Tate (R) in connection with a political proffer in which the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) would give the green light to act on the two nominations in return for Martin agreeing to step down in January if a Democrat is elected president this fall. Martin has balked at the offer.