FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel believes government shutdowns hamper the agency’s ability to hire employees and could hinder the U.S. goal of being first to rollout 5G.
Asked whether the 35-day shutdown makes it harder to recruit for the Commission, she said, “public service is a noble calling,” and that she does think a shutdown makes it harder to attract people to work for the FCC and any federal agency.
The issue is key as the FCC only has funding until February 15, under the deal reached to end the shutdown.
“If they think their paycheck is cause for dispute on Capitol Hill, I’m worried, not only for the FCC, but for government at large,” she said after Wednesday’s monthly meeting.
Asked whether the shutdown will hurt the 5G rollout, Rosenworcel noted the U.S. has “challenges” in this area. It’s behind other countries in freeing up spectrum for 5G use, “and, we have court cases,” concerning the deployment of small cells, she said.
Rosenworcel was referring to the appeals by municipalities and other groups of the agency’s September order limiting what municipalities can charge for small cell siting applications and setting shot clocks for acting on applications. “Shutting down will not help,” she said.
Also, Wednesday was Commissioner Geoffrey Starks’ first monthly FCC meeting in his new role. Rosenworcel said they’ve begun figuring out what issues to team up on, but she “was not ready to say,” what those are just yet.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
February 1, 2019
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