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Wednesday, June 14, 2017

She's baaaaack

I did not expect this: President Trump has renominated Jessica Rosenworcel to the FCC.

First, is it good news for the E-Rate? Yes!  Crucially, she has historically used the big "R" in "E-Rate."  She used to work for Senator Rockefeller, the godfather of the E-Rate, and she has been very supportive in the past.

But don't expect her to be approved instantly.  If she were, it would create a 2-2 tie on the Commission, so I'll bet that the Senate will sit on their hands until President Trump nominates a third Republican commissioner.

I also just have to show the timeline of Ms. Rosenworcel's nomination for a second term on the FCC:
Dec. 2014: Commissioner O'Rielly is confirmed; in return for Democratic agreement, Republicans promise to confirm her quickly when she's nominated for reappointment.
May 2015: President Obama nominates her for a second term.
July 2015: Her first term technically ends, but she's allowed to continue serving until December 2016.
Oct. 2015: The Senate Commerce Committee holds a hearing on her reappointment.
Dec. 2015: The Commerce Committee unanimously approves her reappointment, and passes it to the full Senate for confirmation (which is normally a formality).
Mar. 2016: At a Senate hearing, Chairman Wheeler is vague on whether he'll step down at the end of his term.
Apr. 2016: Democrats moan that Senator McConnell is delaying on the confirmation vote, in spite of the promise they made in 2014 to reconfirm her quickly.
Sept. 2016: Senator Thune suggests that her confirmation might be smoothed if Chairman Wheeler agrees to step down at the end of Obama's term.
Sept. 2016: Chairman Wheeler says he'll give up his post, but not when.
Nov. 2016: Two Democratic senators put a hold on her confimation.  Now that's a twist: Democrats holding up one of their own.
Nov. 2016: Three days later, the Democratic senators lift their hold.
Dec. 2016: Chairman Wheeler offers to step down if the Senate will confirm her.
Dec. 2016: The Senate adjourns without voting on her confirmation.
Jan. 2017: President Obama renominates her.
Mar. 2017: President Trump withdraws her nomination.
June 2017: President Trump nominates her.

Did you notice that of all the people in that timeline, there was only one "she"?  We still have a long way to go.


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