Senate committee approves nominations of Carr, Starks and Gomez
A Senate committee advanced the nominations of three Federal Communications Commissioners yesterday, bringing the FCC closer to a full headcount.
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation advanced the nominations of Commissioners Brendan Carr and Geoffrey Starks, who were both re-nominated to their positions by President Joe Biden, as well as the new FCC nominee Anna Gomez. The next step is a full Senate vote.
Gomez is President Joe Biden’s second attempt to fill the fifth seat on the FCC; his previous nominee, Gigi Sohn, withdrew her nomination after a drawn-out and contentious process. Gomez has a long resume of telecom-related work in both the private and public sector. She joined the State Department earlier this year to lead U.S. preparations for WRC-23 in Dubai and also serves as Senior Advisor for International Information and Communications Policy in the State Department’s Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy; before joining State, she was a partner in Wiley LLP’s telecom media and technology group. Gomez was the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Deputy Administrator from 2009 to 2013. She spent 12 years working in various management positions at the FCC, including as deputy chief of the International Bureau; served as Deputy Chief of Staff in the National Economic Council during the Clinton Administration; and worked as VP for federal and state government affairs at Sprint Nextel.
More than halfway through Biden’s term, a full FCC has yet to be seated and the regulator is split 2-2. Traditionally, the FCC consists of two seats held by each party, with the chair’s party affiliation matching that of the White House. Since the departure of former Chairman Ajit Pai and the elevation of now-Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, the fifth seat has remained unfilled. Adding to the uncertainty is the fact that Congress allowed the agency statutory authority to auction spectrum to expire earlier this year and has yet to reinstate it, despite ongoing calls from across the industry to do so.
The Senate Committee also advanced the nomination of Fara Damelin to be Inspector General of the FCC.
Competitive Carriers Association President and CEO Tim Donovan issued a statement applauding the Senate committee action. “Commissioners Starks and Carr have distinguished themselves in their service at the FCC, understanding the issues affecting competitive wireless carriers, particularly those serving smaller communities and rural parts of America. Anna Gomez brings significant public policy experience and service to a critical role. CCA urges the Senate to confirm these appointees as soon as possible, and our members look forward to working with them to pursue policies that promote and bring wireless connectivity to all Americans,” Donovan said.
Fiber Broadband Association President and CEO Gary Bolton, meanwhile, noted that “The U.S. remains in the midst of an enormous investment cycle to bring high performance broadband service, especially fiber connectivity, to every household, business, and anchor institution, as well as to support 5G/6G, smart cities and grids, and other advanced technologies and applications. To help make that happen, we need a five-member Federal Communications Commission composed of expert and thoughtful leaders. The pending nominees, certainly meet those high standards” and Bolton encouraged the Senate to “expeditiously confirm” them.
