Policymakers

The deadlock over the still-unfilled Democrat place on the five-person board of the Federal Communications Commission seems likely to continue until after November’s mid-term elections and on into 2023 – or even longer. The situation is unprecedented and has lasted for so long (over 600 days now and counting) that FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is, at long last, publicly contemplating using the powers she has to put an end to the impasse via her casting vote.

Tim Wu, the White House adviser helping to drive the administration’s push to rein in corporate giants with tougher antitrust enforcement is planning to leave his position in the coming months. Wu is expected to return to teaching at Columbia Law School after a roughly year-and-a-half as special assistant to President Biden for technology and competition policy. Wu was part of a trio of antitrust hawks President Joe Biden installed in 2021 as part of a push to curb the power of sprawling companies — a fight that has focused in particular on tech titans like Amazon and Google.

The California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) announced the departure of Senior Vice President Susan Walters to become the US Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Regional Director of Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) with responsibility for the States of Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, and Hawaii. Susan Walters was a founding team leader when CETF began operations in 2006.

The Senate Commerce Committee approved two bipartisan bills to protect children online, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director nominee, Dr. Arati Prabhakar, the Transportation Security Administration Administrator nominee, David Pekoske, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce nominee, Susie Feliz, and Donald R. Cravins, the nominee to be Undersecretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development. Led by Sens.

Technologist Jason Hardebeck is no longer serving as the City of Baltimore’s director of broadband and digital equity. And Hardebeck’s former department, the Mayor’s Office of Broadband and Digital Equity (BDE), will no longer be housed within the Mayor’s Office. BDE is now located within the Baltimore City Office of Information and Technology (BCIT). Kenya Asli, BCIT’s director of strategic initiatives, will be the interim director of broadband and digital equity until a permanent hire for the position is found.

It’s been 18 months since President Joe Biden was inaugurated. Yet restoring crucial net neutrality rules that are the foundation for an open internet continues to languish in Washington (DC). The problem stems from Democratic lawmakers’ inability to confirm Biden’s nominee, Gigi Sohn [Senior Fellow and Public Advocate at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society], to the Federal Communications Commission. She is needed to break the 2-2 deadlock on the FCC that continues to block action on net neutrality and broadband privacy regulations.

Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks announced several changes to his team. Austin Bonner, Acting Chief of Staff and Legal Advisor for media and consumer protection issues, has departed Starks’s office. She heads to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on detail. Justin Faulb, Starks’s Wireline and National Security Advisor, will serve as Chief of Staff. Joining the office as Legal Advisor for media and consumer protection issues is Hannah Lepow.

Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston announced that Glen Howie has been named the state’s new Director of Broadband. Howie comes to the Commerce Department from Louisiana’s Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity. As broadband director, Howie will advise the governor and the secretary of commerce on key issues related to the deployment of broadband throughout Arkansas. He will lead the agency’s efforts for broadband and oversee a three-year plan to provide broadband access to 110,000 underserved households throughout all areas of the state.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel reaffirmed the FCC’s commitment to increasing competition within the communications sector following the one-year anniversary of President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy. “Our economy thrives on competition," said Rosenworcel. "Over history, it has inspired innovation, increased choice, and improved our resourcefulness and efficiency. That’s why over the last 18 months, the FCC has helped reinvigorate competition in the communications sector.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced an addition to her staff and adjustments to policy portfolios for select legal advisors. Effective July 11, Carmen Scurato will serve as the Chairwoman’s Legal Advisor for Consumer and Public Safety issues. David Strickland will now serve as Legal Advisor, Media. Ethan Lucarelli will serve as Legal Advisor for Wireless and International issues. Ramesh Nagarajan will serve as Legal Advisor for Wireline and Enforcement related issues.