Chairman Pai Announces Intent to Depart FCC on Inauguration Day

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that he intends to leave the Federal Communications Commission on January 20, 2021.

"It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve at the Federal Communications Commission, including as Chairman of the FCC over the past four years. I am grateful to President Trump for giving me the opportunity to lead the agency in 2017, to President Obama for appointing me as a Commissioner in 2012, and to Senate Majority Leader McConnell and the Senate for twice confirming me. To be the first Asian-American to chair the FCC has been a particular privilege. As I often say: only in America," said Chairman Pai. "I am proud of how productive this Commission has been, from commencing five spectrum auctions and two rural broadband reverse auctions in four years, to opening 1,245 megahertz of mid-band spectrum for unlicensed use, to adopting more than 25 orders through our Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative, to aggressively protecting our communications networks from national security threats at home and abroad, to designating 988 as the threedigit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and much, much more. I’m also proud of the reforms we have instituted to make the agency more accountable to the American people. In particular, for the first time ever, we’ve made public drafts of the proposals and orders slated for a vote three weeks before the agency’s monthly meetings, making this the most transparent FCC in history."

FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly said, "Congratulations to my friend and colleague, Ajit Pai, for his distinguished run as FCC Chairman. His Commission ushered in many policy advancements and made strides updating communications regulations, from restoring the Commission’s successful light-touch regulatory framework for Internet service providers to modernizing media rules, opening up more spectrum bands for commercial use, and expanding broadband access to unserved Americans. I wish him all the best in the next stage of his career and thank him for his great service to our nation."

"While we did not always agree on policy matters, I always valued our shared commitment to public service. Serving the American people is a tremendous honor and I wish him the best in the future," said FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel.

FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said, "Chairman Pai and I may disagree on many policy issues, but we are in full agreement about two things: the outstanding quality of the FCC’s staff and the tremendous abilities of Patrick Mahomes. I wish Ajit the best of luck on the road ahead."

“I want to congratulate and thank my friend Ajit for his courageous and principled service to the country. He will leave behind an unapparelled record of accomplishments—one that would not even fit in his oversized coffee mug," said FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr. "Ajit did far more than simply mark time during his run as Chairman. He took on the tough policy fights and made the right calls for the American people. He strengthened the country’s national security by protecting our communications networks from bad actors that would do us harm. And he took critical steps in the days following COVID-19 to ensure that Americans could stay connected during the pandemic—whether for distance learning, working remotely, or telehealth."