Interim FCC chief Clyburn put focus on consumers and the poor

Four years ago, Mignon Clyburn arrived in Washington as a regulatory newcomer to take a seat on the Federal Communications Commission. She faced immediate skeptics because of her high-profile father, Rep James Clyburn (D-SC), a former House majority whip. In her six months leading the FCC, she has pushed through consumer-friendly regulations to reform prison phone rates and to provide more access to technology in rural areas.

The regulations, some industry experts note, are modest in their scope compared with controversial policies the agency has taken on, such as network neutrality. But the 51-year-old commissioner says those policies are significant because they directly affect consumers, particularly minorities, low-income families and rural residents. “These are my people,” she said in a recent interview. “My duty is to empower communities, particularly those like mine that are often overlooked.” With recently confirmed FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler expected to be sworn in on Nov 4, current-Chairwoman Clyburn will remain a member of the FCC and said she will work with her fellow Democratic chairman and maintain a focus on consumer protections.