House Democrats made a point of noting the absence of a fifth FCC commissioner--specifically Democratic nominee Gig Sohn--at the first FCC oversight hearing in the current Congress.
In his opening statement, Communications Subcommittee chairman Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) said he hoped the Senate would soon confirm Sohn to that seat. He said Sohn's policy knowledge and dedication to consumer protection would serve the agency well. He said the FCC needs a strong consumer advocacy element. Sohn would be the first former head of a public interest advocacy group (Public Knowledge) to serve on the commission.
Doyle's praise for the bipartisanship of the current FCC--a necessity of sorts since it it deadlocked politically at a 2-2 tie--came as he said the "await your fifth colleague."
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Republicans have been pushing back on the Sohn nomination, leading to a tie vote in the Senate Commerce Committee on referring her nomination favorably to the full Senate, effectively bottling up the nomination until the Senate can vote to discharge it from the committee, then vote to confirm or deny.
Energy & Commerce Committee chairman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) greeted the panel with: "while it was my hope to have a full, five-member Commission with us today, we are glad to have the four of you here."
Communications Subcommittee ranking member Bob Latta (R-Ohio) did not join the call for seating that third Democrat, which would give FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel to move on less bipartisan issues like media regulation and net neutrality rules, which Latta and other Republicans oppose.
His only reference to the open seat was in the context of encouraging continued bipartisanship "if and when" the FCC gets a fifth commissioner.
Also: FCC's Rosenworcel: Better Broadband Maps by Fall
Sohn fans allege that the pushback on her nomination is being driven in part by broadband companies looking to delay any net neutrality reregulation and a broader strategy by Republicans to slow roll some key Biden nominees they see as too progressive, also including Alvaro Bedoya, who would be the Federal Trade Commission's fifth member and third Democrat.
It took a vote by Vice President Kamala Harris this week to break a 50-50 tie on discharging his nomination from Commerce after it also was tied 14-14. ■
