FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel intends to depart the FCC on January 20, 2025, the day of President-elect Trump’s second inauguration. Trump has selected Commissioner Brendan Carr as chair, Inside Towers reported.
“Serving at the Federal Communications Commission has been the honor of a lifetime, especially my tenure as Chair and as the first woman in history to be confirmed to lead this agency,” said Rosenworcel. “I want to thank President Biden for entrusting me with the responsibility to guide the FCC during a time when communications technology is a part of every aspect of civic and commercial life.”
She called the agency staff “some of the hardest working and dedicated public servants I have ever known.” Citing Commission accomplishments under her tenure, Rosenworcel said: “Together, we accomplished seemingly impossible feats like setting up the largest broadband affordability program in history—which led to us connecting more than 23 million households to high-speed internet, connecting more than 17 million students caught in the homework gap to hotspots and other devices as learning moved online, putting national security and public safety matters with communications front and center before the agency, and launching the first-ever Space Bureau to support United States leadership in the new Space Age.”
Rosenworcel didn’t reveal future plans other than to say, “I also want to thank my husband, daughter, and son for their support throughout my time at the FCC. Public service is not without sacrifice, and I am looking forward to spending more time with my family and rescue pup in the days ahead.”
During yesterday’s meeting, all the commissioners thanked Rosenworcel for what the FCC has been able to accomplish during her term as chair and for her collaborative approach. Incoming chair Brendan Carr complimented Rosenworcel on “the exceptional and consequential run at the FCC.”
Carr said to Rosenworcel, “You reached out to me within days of being chair and offered to do events together on telehealth. That was very meaningful to me. It set a tone for us to be able to collaborate on a lot.” He acknowledged they didn’t work collaboratively on everything, but said they did “on a good portion, and you set the tone for a really bipartisan agenda and I really appreciate that.”
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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