Vacancies at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may be close to resolution. Senate Republicans “appear to have settled on two people to fill the GOP seats on the five-member board, paving the way for a confirmation hearing in June” for “President Barack Obama’s pick to be chairman, Julius Genachowski,” Washington Wire reports.
Work has slowed to a crawl at the Federal Communications Commission, since President Barack Obama’s pick to be chairman, Julius Genachowski, is still awaiting Senate confirmation.
But the logjam could be broken soon: Republicans appear to have settled on two people to fill the GOP seats on the five-member board, paving the way for a confirmation hearing in June. Senate Republicans have agreed on former Commerce Department official Meredith Attwell Baker and current FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell, officials close to the process say.
A spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell didn’t return a request for comment.
The development could pave the way for a confirmation hearing in June for Genachowski and one Republican FCC nominee. Another hearing for the remaining two FCC nominees would likely be scheduled later. On the Democratic side, the White House has already nominated Genachowski and Mignon Clyburn, a South Carolina public utilities commissioner and daughter of House Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina.
Senate Democrats have “expressed some frustration at the delay in the Genachowski confirmation.”
The agency is supposed to help administration officials decide how to hand out some $7 billion in broadband stimulus funds and must write a national broadband plan. Senate Republicans said they wanted to pair Genachowski’s nomination with a Republican FCC member, but until recently they hadn’t settled on anyone.
The holdup has also prevented FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein from moving to the Agriculture Department where he has been nominated to head an agency with a spotty record of handing out grants. The agency now has $2.5 billion in broadband stimulus money it must distribute, but Adelstein must remain on the FCC until new commissioners are in place.
Congress in Your Pocket
