Rockefeller puts O’Rielly on the schedule

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FCCMichael O’Rielly has been nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as an FCC commissioner, he has been interviewed by the Senate Commerce Committee, and now the Committee is prepared to put the nomination to a vote.


During his interview with the Committee, O’Rielly followed SOP – admitting his faith in and preference for free market solutions to communications issues, but otherwise avoiding controversy and pledging that his mind is open.

There was no indication that he was going to face any resistance from Committee members on either side of the aisle.

Democrats on the Committee might be expected to disagree with many of O’Rielly’s likely policy leanings, but they’ve all done this before, and they know that when O’Rielly gets in, so too will Democratic Chairman nominee Tom Wheeler.

The vote is scheduled for Thursday 10/3/13 at 11AM.

O’Rielly will have company – four other nominees will be facing the up and down thumbs of the Committee.

*Nomination of Mr. Michael O’Rielly to be Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission

*Nomination of Ms. Terrell McSweeny to be Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission

*Nomination of Dr. Jo Handelsman, to be Associate Director for Science, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President

*Nomination of Dr. Robert Simon, to be Associate Director for Environment and Energy, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President

*Nomination of Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, to be Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, Department of Commerce, and Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RBR-TVBR observation: If O’Rielly survives this Capitol Hill encounter, and there’s every reason to believe he will, then Rockefeller will be able to deliver the ideal matched set of FCC nominees – one from each party – to the full Senate. At that point, a quick vote on the Senate floor could happen at almost any moment.

In short, we will be very surprised if the FCC 8th Floor is not back to full strength in time for the October open meeting.