Reid Fears Career of FCC’s Rosenworcel Will End Prematurely

On April 21, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) bemoaned how long it has taken Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to schedule a confirmation vote for Federal Communications Commission Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel for her second term at the agency. “I spoke with him yesterday on the telephone, again urging him to move her forward and he said to me, ‘We’ll do it next year,’” Minority Leader Reid said in a floor speech. “Next year, she’s out of a job. Her term expires at the end of this year. Her career will basically be over because of my accepting my counterpart’s word.”

Minority Leader Reid’s speech served as an opportunity for him to air his grievances about false promises. He said he felt offended by a “personal affront.” The Nevada Democrat spoke of how Majority Leader McConnell has promised for a few years that the Senate would vote to confirm Commissioner Rosenworcel. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler applauded Minority Leader Reid’s call to confirm Commissioner Rosenworcel. “I was pleased to see Senator Reid’s comments today on the floor,” Chairman Wheeler said in a statement. “Jessica Rosenworcel is an integral part of this Commission and should be confirmed. All nominees, no matter their party affiliation, deserve an up or down vote.”