Policymakers

Profiles of the people who make or influence communications policy.

North Carolinians Vote for Broadband

On November 5 North Carolinians continued a trend of ticket splitting during the 2024 elections.

Trump Picks Pam Bondi for Attorney General After Gaetz Withdraws

Donald Trump has chosen former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to run the Justice Department, announcing his pick hours after Matt Gaetz withdrew from consideration. Bondi, a 59-year-old Republican who worked for years as a prosecutor, is a more conventional pick than Gaetz. She has had a close relationship with Trump for years and served on his legal team during his first impeachment.

Could Musk’s DOGE actually threaten innovation?

At first, Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” looks like the most Silicon Valley-style project one could imagine. But now that they’ve laid out their plans for the “department” (actually an advisory commission outside government) in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, concern is bubbling up—even in the tech world—that the project might suffer from a couple other very Silicon Valley qualities: ego and overpromising. It’s not clear to many experts that the pair’s plans, as detailed as they s

Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel Announces Departure from FCC

Serving at the Federal Communications Commission has been the honor of a lifetime, especially my tenure as Chair and as the first woman in history to be confirmed to lead this agency. I want to thank President Biden for entrusting me with the responsibility to guide the FCC during a time when communications technology is a part of every aspect of civic and commercial life.

The DOGE Plan to Reform Government

Our nation was founded on the basic idea that the people we elect run the government. That isn’t how America functions today. Most legal edicts aren’t laws enacted by Congress but “rules and regulations” promulgated by unelected bureaucrats—tens of thousands of them each year.

Trump Picks Howard Lutnick as Commerce Secretary

Donald Trump will nominate the veteran Wall Street financier Howard Lutnick to lead the Commerce Department, elevating one of the financial world’s most vocal supporters of Trump to a crucial position overseeing the incoming administration’s aggressive trade agenda. Lutnick, chief executive officer of the financial-services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, has become a close Trump ally and had been a top contender to lead the Treasury Department.

Trump to Nominate Linda McMahon to Lead Education Department

Donald Trump said he would nominate World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder Linda McMahon to lead the Education Department that he has vowed to dismantle. McMahon, a former head of the Small Business Administration in Trump’s first term, serves as co-chair of the Trump transition team.

Carr to be Next FCC Chair: What It Means for Telecom

President-elect Donald Trump announced he will appoint current Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr to be the next FCC chair. Here’s a few observations on what this is likely to mean for the telecommunications and broadband industry. Net Neutrality undoubtedly will be reversed again. Since its inception, it has come and gone, depending on which party is in the White House. A Republican commission under Carr could have another big impact that would be detrimental to big tech, according to a research note from Washington insider and National Broadband Plan author Blair Levin.

What does Project 2025 have to say about broadband regulation?

A new presidential administration will take office in January 2025, ushering in a new era at the Federal Communications Commission. Thanks to Project 2025, we have a unique ability to predict what this will mean for broadband regulation.

Reactions to President-Elect Donald Trump's Choice of Brendan Carr to Chair the FCC

US Representative Bob Latta (R-OH) said, "Congratulations to Brendan Carr on being named the next Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission by President-elect Trump. Commissioner Carr has been steadfast in his work at the FCC to help close the digital divide, protect free speech, and safeguard American communications networks from communist Chinese influence. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with Commissioner Carr on these initiatives in the House Commerce Committee in the 119th Congress, and I know he will make an excellent Chairman of the FCC."