Senate to hold hearing on FCC, FTC picks

The Senate Commerce Committee is beginning to move on two of President Barack Obama's nominees to regulatory commissions that oversee the technology industry. The committee will hold a hearing Sept 18 on the nominees to the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission. Michael O'Rielly, a staffer to Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), would fill the second Republican spot on the FCC. Terrell McSweeny, a Justice Department official and former aide to Vice President Biden, would be the third Democratic FTC commissioner. The hearing will be the first public opportunity to hear the nominees' views on the hot-button issues before the agencies.