FCC Back to Five Members, GOP Majority
NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 1, 2006--The Federal Communications Commission soon will be back to its full five-member complement. After some delay due to political maneuvering, the US Senate this week confirmed President George W. Bush's nomination of Republican Robert M. McDowell of Virginia. Once sworn in, McDowell will fill the seat vacated last December by Kathleen Q. Abernathy. His term expires on June 30, 2009. Current FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin applauded McDowell's Senate confirmation, which gives him a Republican majority on the FCC for the first time in his tenure.
"I congratulate Rob McDowell on his confirmation as Commissioner at the FCC," Martin said in a statement. "He has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the communications arena, and we will rely on his insight." Martin said he was eager to have McDowell onboard and looks forward "to working with a full complement of Commissioners to address the important issues before us."
Since Martin, an FCC member during the Powell regime, took over the chairmanship, the political balance on the Commission has been split evenly between two Republicans and two Democrats. Members of a president's political party hold a majority on the FCC.
During his Senate confirmation hearing in March, McDowell said he supports free expression and free markets the American Revolution won.
"At the heart of the ideals of the fledgling United States was a profound commitment to the freedom of speech -- the freedom to communicate," he said. "No agency has more of an effect on the preservation and promotion of this freedom than the Federal Communications Commission. If confirmed, I solemnly pledge to be true to those founding principles -- to work tirelessly to promote free markets and the free expression of ideas."
In addition to Martin, McDowell--a telecommunications attorney--will join fellow Republican Deborah T. Tate, who officially came aboard January 3. The Commission's two Democrats are Michael J. Copps, who is in his second term, and Jonathan Adelstein.
Prior to his FCC appointment, McDowell served as senior vice president and assistant general counsel for the Competitive Telecommunications Association (CompTel). Earlier he was executive vice president and general counsel for the America's Carriers Telecommunications Association.
A cum laude graduate of Duke University, McDowell received his law degree from the College of William and Mary's Marshall-Wythe School of Law.
Page last modified: 04:40 PM, 01 Jun 2006 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
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