More of D.C. Revved Up About Brendan Carr's FCC Nomination

Reaction continuedThursday to President Donald Trump's pick of FCC general counsel Brendan Carr to fill the empty Republican seat at the FCC.

“Brendan Carr is an outstanding nominee to round out a full Commission," said USTelecom CEO Jonathan Spalter. "His wealth of telecommunications experience will help the agency fully realize its mission of protecting consumers while adopting policies that encourage more broadband innovation and investment. In his time at the FCC, he has always worked with integrity, fairness, and a deep commitment to public service. USTelecom and its members look forward to working with Brendan, and we encourage the Senate to confirm him and former Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel soon.” 

“President Trump’s nomination of Brendan Carr comes at a critical point as our nation embarks on transitioning to the next generation wireless communications infrastructure," said Robert Quinn, AT&T senior VP of external and legislative affairs. "His commitment to public service and a wide range of expertise, especially in the areas of wireless technology and spectrum policy, make him the perfect choice. Brendan Carr will be a tremendous asset to Chairman Pai and his fellow Commissioners. We urge Congress to quickly proceed with his confirmation.”

“NTCA congratulates Brendan Carr on his nomination to serve as FCC Commissioner," said NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association CEO Shirley Bloomfield. "His experience in the private sector and in a variety of roles at the FCC will enable him to hit the ground running on a range of issues from addressing consumer needs for broadband to promoting effective and efficient investment in networks. NTCA and our membership look forward to working with Brendan once he’s confirmed to continue advancing our nation’s broadband goals.”

“I commend the White House’s decision to nominate Brendan Carr as Commissioner to the FCC,” said Competitive Carriers Association president Steven K. Berry. “Mr. Carr’s extensive knowledge of communications issues, experience at the FCC, and active willingness to seek innovative solutions make him an outstanding candidate for the position.  In this pivotal time in the communications industry, decisions made by the FCC certainly impact competitive carriers, and Brendan’s understanding of the importance of spectrum, Universal Service Fund support and competition issues will allow him to hit the ground running as Commissioner. I congratulate Brendan on his nomination and support his confirmation by the Senate.”

"In his five years at the FCC, and in his career at Wiley Rein before joining the Commission, Brendan Carr was well-known for his very high-level understanding and engagement in the issues of civil rights and digital inclusion," said Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC) President Kim Keenan. "He has demonstrated that he will be an innovative, knowledgeable, and fair Commissioner whose door is open to hear all sides of an issue.  MMTC looks forward to working with Mr. Carr as we continue our 31-year mission of promoting policies that advance diversity in media, telecom, and tech ownership; close the digital divide; and ensure equal access to opportunity for all Americans.

“T-Mobile congratulates Brendan Carr on his announced nomination to FCC commissioner," said Kathleen Hamm, SVP, government affairs. "His combined knowledge of telecom policy and understanding of the mechanics of the Commission promises a thoughtful approach to competition and consumer issues and we look forward to moving to a 5G future with him.”

“We congratulate Brendan Carr on his FCC commissioner nomination," said Parents Television Council President Tim Winter. "If confirmed, we call on him to consider the so-often-overlooked concerns of parents and families in today’s media environment, which includes enforcing the broadcast indecency law, delivering on the promises of the Child Safe Viewing Act, and, as mentioned over 100 times in the legislation when the FCC was first created, serving the ‘public interest.’ Public interest and corporate interest can sometimes be at odds, and Commission authority is limited only to the former. We urge Mr. Carr to also engage in the oversight directly assigned to the FCC by Congress – even in this deregulatory environment. We look forward to working with him.”

"Brendan Carr is an excellent choice for Commissioner," sid Consumer Technology Association President Gary Shapiro. "He is a smart, thoughtful and skilled lawyer. Carr is also a level-headed, critical thinker on key issues impacting the FCC and the broader world of technology. We support his nomination to be a commissioner at the FCC."



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.