Policymakers

Chairman Ajit Pai renewed the charter of the Federal Communications Commission's Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC or Committee) for an eleventh two-year term. Chairman Pai also announced the appointment of CAC members, including its Chair and Vice Chair. Scott Marshall, Attorney-Advisor, Consumer Policy Division, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB), will continue to serve as the Designated Federal Officer (DFO), and Gregory V. Haledjian, Legal Advisor, Office of the Bureau Chief, CGB, will continue to serve as Deputy Designated Federal Officer (DDFO). 

Republican lawmakers vying for the prized ranking member role on the House Commerce Committee will make their case to the Republican Steering Committee, with a decision expected Dec 2.

The leadership of regulatory agencies usually turns over with the change of federal administrations, so it’s no surprise that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that he will step down after four years in the job. He leaves a notable legacy, especially after the mess he inherited from the Obama era. Pai’s largest contribution was rescuing the internet from the shackles of regulation that had been imposed by his predecessor, Tom Wheeler. He rescinded Mr.

It’s looking increasingly likely that the incoming Biden administration will face a deadlocked Federal Communications Commission. There are increasing odds that the Biden administration’s FCC initially will have two Democrats and two Republicans — potentially complicating the president-elect's efforts to follow through on some of his key Internet policy promises. The future balance of the agency largely hinges on a Republican push to confirm Trump’s nominee, Nathan Simington, a Commerce Department aide who was very involved with the president’s efforts to crack down on tech companies to add

House Committee Chairs sent a letter to 61 federal agencies requesting information on conversions of political appointees to civil service positions during the Trump Administration. Federal law requires that personnel actions are carried out in a way that the “selection and advancement” of employees in the civil service are “determined solely on the basis of relative ability, knowledge, and skills, after fair and open competition,” rather than on the basis of “partisan political purposes.” In accordance with civil service protections, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) requires all ag

Andrew Jay Schwartzman, senior counselor at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society: “The Pai agenda, in essence, has been to limit regulatory intrusions into the activities of companies subject to the regulatory authority of the FCC, particularly if they are large incumbent [telecom] companies.” He said the consequences of Pai’s reign have been vast for average American Internet users, leaving “fewer people who have access to broadband, fewer people who have access to diverse points of view over the air, and more people paying more for cable, wireless and wired In

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced that he intends to leave the Federal Communications Commission on January 20, 2021.

A looming vacancy on the Federal Trade Commission has created a dilemma for the agency as it decides how to pursue its expected antitrust lawsuit against Facebook, contributing to a delay in the launch of the case.

President Donald Trump may exit the White House in January, but Republicans are rushing to put their imprint on tech policy in a variety of ways in his final weeks. These efforts could have lasting effects well into the Biden era, cementing certain legacy moves and curbing the incoming administration’s ability to execute its agenda. 

The Federal Communications Commission will soon shift to Democratic control, and speculation has already begun about who will assume the chairmanship under the Biden administration. Jessica Rosenworcel, the senior Democrat on the commission, is widely considered to be one of the leading candidates to succeed Ajit Pai in the powerful regulatory post. She has been vetted twice and would likely have a smooth path to confirmation, which would be a key consideration assuming the Senate remains in Republican hands. She also has the backing of Sen.