Bush announces FCC nominees
President Bush announced in April his intention to nominate three new commissioners to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC): Republicans Kevin J. Martin and Kathleen Q. Abernathy, and Democrat Michael J. Copps.
These new nominees, if confirmed by the Senate, will direct the FCC for five-year terms (except when filling an unexpired term) under Chairman Michael Powell. FCC rules state that only three commissioners may be members of the same political party, and none of them can have a financial interest in any commission-related business.
Elliott Hamilton, senior vice president of the Wireless Research Strategis Group, said a Republican majority in the FCC might allow more flexibility in spectrum use. “It may be more open for waivers and other uses of the spectrum not originally intended by the FCC,” he said. “The FCC and Congress need to look at existing spectrum and find the best use for it.”
The president intends to nominate Kevin J. Martin, currently special assistant to the president for economic policy, for a five-year term expiring June 30, 2006. Martin served as deputy general counsel for Bush for President and was also legal adviser to FCC Commissioner Furchtgott-Roth from 1997 to 1999.
Kathleen Q. Abernathy will be nominated to serve the remainder of a five-year term expiring June 30, 2005. She is vice president for Public Policy of Broadband Office Communications and was vice president of Airtouch Communications from 1993 to 1998. Abernathy also served at the FCC from 1992 to 1993 as legal advisor to Chairman James Quello.
Bush will nominate Michael J. Copps to be a commissioner for the remainder of a five-year term ending June 30, 2004. He most recently served as assistant secretary of commerce for Trade Development from 1998 to 2001, and as deputy assistant secretary of commerce for Basic Industries from 1993 to 1998.
Chairman Powell said that he was pleased with the president’s move to announce his new FCC commissioner appointments. “Each of these three nominees—Kathleen Abernathy, Michael Copps and Kevin Martin—if confirmed by the Senate, will bring important experience and expertise to the commission and I welcome the opportunity to carry out the responsibilities of the FCC with them.”
