President-elect Donald Trump said Sunday night he will name Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr as permanent chairman when he takes office Jan. 20, as expected. Communications sector officials and lobbyists have long pointed to Carr as the prohibitive favorite to take over the gavel if Trump won the election. Carr in part has benefited from strong ties to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who will play a role via Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency in recommending a potentially major structural revamp of federal agencies. Musk recently spoke in favor of Carr’s elevation to the chairmanship in conversations with members of Trump’s team, lobbyists told us.
During a Thursday Incompas virtual event, communications industry lawyers offered few clues about which lawmakers will fill vacant top GOP slots on the House and Senate Communications subcommittees, but CEO Chip Pickering forecast substantial leadership continuity on both chambers’ Commerce committees. Pickering and lawyers who spoke at the event, meanwhile, saw limited prospects during the lame-duck session that Congress would advance a spectrum legislative package or funding for the FCC’s lapsed affordable connectivity program and Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program.
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz of Texas pressed FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel Thursday night to stand down from working on controversial matters during the transition from President Joe Biden to President-elect Donald Trump, as expected (see 2411060042). Cruz's “pencils down” request to Rosenworcel followed a similar Wednesday call from House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash. Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, the favorite to lead the agency when Trump takes office in January, backed a pencils-down call Thursday (see 2411070046).
Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, an overwhelming favorite to become chairman when President-elect Donald Trump returns to office Jan. 20 (see 2411060042), said Thursday the FCC should stand down from working on controversial matters during the transition from President Joe Biden to Trump’s second term. House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., sent FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel a “pencils down” letter Wednesday (see 2411060043). Senate Republicans will likely send Rosenworcel similar demands soon.
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz of Texas pressed FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel Thursday night to stand down from working on controversial matters during the transition from President Joe Biden to President-elect Donald Trump, as expected. Cruz's “pencils down” request to Rosenworcel followed a similar Wednesday call from House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash. Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, the favorite to lead the agency when Trump takes office in January, backed a similar pencils-down measure Thursday.
House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., urged FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and FTC Chair Lina Khan Wednesday to stand down from working on controversial matters during the transition from President Joe Biden to former President Donald Trump, who won a second term that morning (see 2411060042). Senate GOP leaders will likely send similar “pencils down” letters, lobbyists told us. Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz of Texas and other GOP leaders are likely to have their positions against controversial FCC and FTC action strengthened given the party won control of the upper chamber Tuesday night, lobbyists said. Cruz appears on course to take the Senate Commerce gavel next year, having prevailed Tuesday as part of the Republicans' victory (see 2411060001).
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr is in prime position to take over the commission’s chairmanship in January following former President Donald Trump’s election to a second term, giving him leeway to make potentially sweeping changes on a range of high-profile communications policy matters, lawyers and other observers said in interviews Wednesday. Carr’s agenda if he becomes chairman is likely to mirror elements of the FCC chapter he wrote for the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 policy agenda (see 2407050015), but he may need to delay non-bipartisan actions until the Senate can confirm a Republican nominee to fill current Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel’s seat if she resigns, as is tradition, observers told us.
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz of Texas appears on course to take the panel's gavel next year, having prevailed Tuesday night in his reelection bid as Republicans won back control of the chamber. All major news organizations called the election for Cruz, who led Democratic Rep. Colin Allred Wednesday 53%-44% with 95% of votes counted.
The Tuesday congressional elections could lead to significant turnover on the Senate Commerce Committee even beyond ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, with four other panel members facing tough or potentially competitive reelection fights. The outcome of Cruz’s reelection bid against Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, has the biggest potential to alter the Senate Commerce dynamic because Cruz is poised to become panel chairman if he's reelected and Republicans gain a majority in the upper chamber (see 2411040049). Late polls suggested both of these results are more likely than not. It's less likely there will be substantial turnover on the Senate Judiciary, House Commerce and House Judiciary committees, as only a handful of those panels’ members face competitive contests.
The outcome of Tuesday's Senate elections could scramble Senate Commerce Committee Republicans’ leadership structure given the competitive contest between ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rep. Colin Allred, his Democratic challenger. Four other panel members also face tough or competitive reelection fights (see 2411040051). Democratic leaders on the House and Senate Commerce committees indicated they intend to stay in those roles in the upcoming 119th Congress regardless of the election’s outcome.