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For the first time in Joe Biden's presidency, Democrats will have a majority at the and the ability to undo a wave of Trump-era deregulation in the internet and communications industries. The Senate has as the agency's third Democratic commissioner, bringing an end to a long-standing partisan split on the panel.
Biden nominated Gomez, who is currently a State Department communications policy adviser, to the FCC . The president's previous pick for the FCC's open chair was Gigi Sohn, who after enduring attacks from politicians and industry lobbyists. Republicans and certain Democrats such as Sen. Joe Manchin refused to confirm Sohn, who is an advocate for affordable broadband.
However, senators found Gomez a more palatable choice and confirmed her to the panel on Thursday with a 55-43 vote. Gomez worked for the FCC in several positions over a 12-year period before moving into the private sector then onto the State Department earlier this year. She will be the FCC's first Latina commissioner since Gloria Tristani stepped down in 2001.
Industry bodies and figures such as the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association and former FCC chair and co-chair Mignon Clyburn have welcomed Gomez's appointment. “At long last, at this critical time for the US telecommunications and media industries, we have a full roster of FCC commissioners,” Communications Workers of America President Claude Cummings Jr. told Engadget in a statement. “Anna Gomez is a dedicated public servant who is highly qualified to serve on the FCC. We are looking forward to working with her to realize the to bring affordable internet service to all Americans and to reverse the decline of local news that threatens the foundations of our democracy.“
After Gomez is sworn in, the Biden administration will be able to fulfill some of its major communications policy goals after a years-long partisan deadlock at the FCC. The agency has long had two Democratic and two Republican senators, who have often been unable to agree on policy votes since former chair .
The FCC is now expected to reverse some telecommunications sector deregulation efforts that the agency carried out under Donald Trump. Those include the potential restoration of , which the . In recent years, Democratic commissioners have had their hands largely tied, preventing them from taking meaningful action on issues such as . However, the agency has still taken action on some fronts, including tackling problems such as and made by Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE.
The Democratic commissioners may need to act quickly to carry out agenda items on behalf of the Biden administration, however. Biden has Democratic Commissioner Geoffrey Starks for . His initial term expired last year, but he has remained on the panel in an acting capacity. Unless the Senate re-confirms Starks, the FCC may be back in a deadlock scenario in the not-too-distant future.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at
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Biden nominated Gomez, who is currently a State Department communications policy adviser, to the FCC . The president's previous pick for the FCC's open chair was Gigi Sohn, who after enduring attacks from politicians and industry lobbyists. Republicans and certain Democrats such as Sen. Joe Manchin refused to confirm Sohn, who is an advocate for affordable broadband.
However, senators found Gomez a more palatable choice and confirmed her to the panel on Thursday with a 55-43 vote. Gomez worked for the FCC in several positions over a 12-year period before moving into the private sector then onto the State Department earlier this year. She will be the FCC's first Latina commissioner since Gloria Tristani stepped down in 2001.
Industry bodies and figures such as the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association and former FCC chair and co-chair Mignon Clyburn have welcomed Gomez's appointment. “At long last, at this critical time for the US telecommunications and media industries, we have a full roster of FCC commissioners,” Communications Workers of America President Claude Cummings Jr. told Engadget in a statement. “Anna Gomez is a dedicated public servant who is highly qualified to serve on the FCC. We are looking forward to working with her to realize the to bring affordable internet service to all Americans and to reverse the decline of local news that threatens the foundations of our democracy.“
After Gomez is sworn in, the Biden administration will be able to fulfill some of its major communications policy goals after a years-long partisan deadlock at the FCC. The agency has long had two Democratic and two Republican senators, who have often been unable to agree on policy votes since former chair .
The FCC is now expected to reverse some telecommunications sector deregulation efforts that the agency carried out under Donald Trump. Those include the potential restoration of , which the . In recent years, Democratic commissioners have had their hands largely tied, preventing them from taking meaningful action on issues such as . However, the agency has still taken action on some fronts, including tackling problems such as and made by Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE.
The Democratic commissioners may need to act quickly to carry out agenda items on behalf of the Biden administration, however. Biden has Democratic Commissioner Geoffrey Starks for . His initial term expired last year, but he has remained on the panel in an acting capacity. Unless the Senate re-confirms Starks, the FCC may be back in a deadlock scenario in the not-too-distant future.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at
Console Bang News!