Udall to McConnell: Call Up Rosenworcel Nomination

Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) joined Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in his call for a floor vote on the renomination of FCC Commissioner Jessika Rosenworcel.

Udall called for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to call up her nomination.

"I urge Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell to keep his commitment to Democratic Leader Reid and quickly confirm Jessica Rosenworcel to the FCC.”

Reid took to the floor earlier in the day Thursday to accuse McConnell of reneging on a pledge to do so, saying McConnell had signaled there might not be a vote until next year, which would mean Rosenworcel would have to leave.

“Jessica Rosenworcel has been an outstanding commissioner for the FCC," he said in a statement.

"She is an acknowledged and respected expert in her field and has a deep commitment to public service and to advancing smart telecommunications policies that are in the public's interest," he said. "She is working to close the ‘homework gap’ facing children from rural and low income families who don't have Internet access at home. And she is a strong defender of net neutrality and ensuring that the Internet remains a platform for free expression and innovation."

An appeal to McConnell's sense of honor is more likely persuasive than invoking Rosenworcel's support of net neutrality rules, of which McConnell is no fan.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.