The lame duck session of Congress was seen by some Democrats as a time to get the nomination of Gigi Sohn as the fifth FCC Commissioner through the Senate. However, now, a key lawmaker casts doubt on that plan.
The Senate does not plan to take up President Joe Biden’s FCC nominee until next year, according to Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell. She heads the panel that oversees the FCC, and told Reuters that Sohn’s confirmation faces a timing issue.
Cantwell was asked if the Senate would take up Sohn’s nomination before the end of this month. The FCC has been divided 2-2 between Democrats and Republicans since January 2021.
“It’s all about the queue of are we doing legislation or are we doing nom[inations] and my sense is right now we’re trying to get the omnibus done,” Cantwell said, referring to the large spending bill to keep the government running.
If Sohn’s nomination does not win approval before the current session of Congress comes to a close, President Biden would need to nominate her for a second time when the new Congress convenes in January. It would also require her to go through the Commerce Committee vetting process again, notes Inside Radio. The White House could also vet alternative candidates.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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