Biden nominates Anna Gomez for fifth FCC spot, renominates Carr, Starks

President Joe Biden yesterday nominated telecom attorney Anna Gomez to be the fifth FCC commissioner and renominated current commissioners Geoffrey Starks and Brendan Carr to serve additional five-year terms on the FCC.

“I thank President Biden for this honor,” Gomez (pictured above) tweeted yesterday. “I am humbled and grateful. If confirmed, I look forward to working with Chairwoman [Jessica] Rosenworcel and my fellow commissioners to bring the benefits of modern communications to all.”

If the nominations of Gomez, Starks and Carr are confirmed by the U.S. Senate, the FCC would have five commissioners—three Democrats and two Republicans—for the first time during the Biden administration. The FCC has been deadlocked 2-2 along party lines as Gigi Sohn, Biden’s previous FCC nominee, failed to secure Senate confirmation during two different sessions of Congress.

Most Beltway sources believe Gomez is much more likely to be confirmed than the controversial Sohn, whose FCC nomination never was voted upon in the Senate.

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel congratulated Gomez on her nomination—as well as the renominations of Carr and Starks—noting that she “look(s) forward to working with a full complement of FCC Commissioners to advance our mission to connect everyone, everywhere.”

“I congratulate Anna Gomez on her nomination to serve as FCC commissioner,” Rosenworcel said in a prepared statement. “She brings with her a wealth of telecommunications experience, a substantial record of public service, and a history of working to ensure the U.S. stays on the cutting edge of keeping us all connected. I wish her all the best during the confirmation process.”

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Administrator Alan Davidson echoed this sentiment.

“A fully staffed Federal Communications Commission is critical to deliver on President Biden’s promise to close the digital divide,” Davidson said in a prepared statement. “Anna Gomez, who previously served in leadership at NTIA, has had a distinguished career and will bring a wealth of experience to the agency. I congratulate Anna on her nomination, and I hope Congress quickly confirms her. I also congratulate Commissioners Starks and Carr on their renominations.”

Gomez has been working within the U.S. Department of State since January, serving as senior advisor for international information and communications policy in the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy. In this position, Gomez has been expected to lead the U.S. delegation at the International Telecommunications Union’s World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-23) that is slated to be conducted from Nov. 20 to Dec. 15 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Prior to joining the State Department, Gomez was a partner at the Washington, D.C., law firm of Wiley Rein from May 2013 to June 2022. Before that, Gomez was deputy administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) from 2009 to 2013, serving as a key figure in the initial establishment of the FirstNet Authority. She also worked at the FCC for more than a decade in various roles, including as senior legal advisor to William Kennard, who was FCC at the time.

Gomez has spoken at multiple IWCE shows, including as the NTIA representative during the 2012 event, when President Barak Obama signed into law the legislation that created the First Authority and its mandate to build and maintain a nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN).

APCO International Executive Director and CEO Derek Poarch express support for the nomination of Gomez, as well as the renominations of Starks and Carr as FCC commissioners.

“Ms. Gomez is a highly talented and experienced communications professional who understands the needs of the public safety community,” Poarch said in a prepared statement. “I am confident she will serve the country well as a Commissioner at the FCC. APCO also welcomes the renominations of Commissioners Carr and Starks, and we look forward to continuing to work with both of their offices.”

Jeff Johnson, executive director of the Western Fire Chiefs Association, echoed this sentiment.

“Ms. Gomez has a depth of experience and a proven track record advancing common-sense solutions to address our country’s most pressing communication policy issues,” Johnson said in a prepared statement provided to IWCE’s Urgent Communications. “Ms. Gomez has distinguished herself as a champion for public safety and someone who listens and truly understands the communications needs of America’s first responders.

“If confirmed, Ms. Gomez will be a strong addition to a Commission that is comprised of leaders who have worked together to support public safety and who care deeply about the brave men and women who keep our communities safe. We urge the U.S. Senate to take swift action to confirm Ms. Gomez’s nomination.”

The Satellite Safety Alliance also expressed support for the nomination of Gomez and renominations of Carr and Starks.

“It is essential that the FCC tackle today’s pressing connectivity issues, including creating a stable environment for the critical satellite communication, GPS, aviation, and weather industries,” according to a Satellite Safety Alliance statement provided to IWCE’s Urgent Communications. “We look forward to working with Ms. Gomez, Mr. Starks, and Mr. Carr to revisit the flawed Ligado order to keep vital communications free from harmful interference.