President Biden faces pressure from tech advocates to nominate final FCC commissioner

A coalition of more than 30 advocacy groups are calling on President Joe Biden and congressional leadership to fill the final vacancy at the Federal Communications Commission immediately. While President Biden recently named Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel the acting chairwoman of the FCC, the agency was left with a vacancy when former Chairman Ajit Pai stepped down on Inauguration Day. 32 advocacy organizations argued in a letter to the Biden administration and members of the Senate that there needed to be a "speedy nomination and confirmation of a fifth commissioner" to the FCC so it can tackle issues like the digital divide, which has been highlighted by the coronavirus pandemic, and reclassifying broadband under Title II of the Communications Act. "We ask you to ensure that these critical efforts are not stalled in a deadlocked FCC by seating a fifth commissioner as soon as possible," the letter reads, later adding: "Leaving the agency in charge of charting the course for affordable communications access and infrastructure impotent to pursue the bold action required at this time would be a serious failing."

The groups signing the letter included: the ACLU, Center for Democracy & Technology, Demand Progress, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Fight for the Future, Free Press Action, Media Justice, the NAACP, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, and Public Knowledge, among many others.