The Senate Commerce Committee has set a Jan. 18 executive session to consider the nomination of Brendan Carr to a full, five-year term as FCC Commissioner.
The White House sent his nomination to the Senate earlier this week. Carr has already had a conrfirmation hearing in the committee for his current term, which is completing the unfinished term of former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, which expires in June of this year.
Carr and Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel were confirmed back in August as part of a complicated, partisan, deal that led to a voice vote ("unanimous consent") in which Senators okayed Democrat Rosenworcel through 2020 but only allowed Republican Carr to hold office through June 2018 (completing the term of FCC chairman Tom Wheeler). Republican Senators on the Commerce Committee had sought to approve Carr simultaneously for the unexpired term plus for the ensuing term through 2023.
Rosenworcel was returning to the FCC after her term was allowed to expire without a vote on her renomination by then President Barack Obama.
Carr has already made his mark on the FCC as one of the three votes needed to restore the UHF discount, deregulate broadcast ownership , and overturn the Title II classification of ISPs and repeal regs against blocking, throttling and paid prioritization.
Carr had been general counsel under FCC chairman Ajit Pai before being nominated by President Donald Trump to the FCC.
Before he was named general counsel in the Pai FCC, Carr had served as the chairman's—then commissioner—wireless, public safety and international legal advisor.
Carr had been in the general counsel's office before that.
Also among the nominees being considered in the Jan. 18 session will be economist Diana Furchtgott-Roth to be assistant secretary of Transportation. If that name sounds familiar, it is because her husband is former Republican FCC Commissioner Harold Furchtgott-Roth.
