FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel sailed through her re-nomination hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee.
Several topics were addressed, including robocalling, 911 call completion, net neutrality and next year’s upcoming broadcast incentive auction.
Much of the time was spent on issues Rosenworcel has been working on the most, such as narrowing the digital divide for school children and broadband deployment in rural areas.
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said it was “shocking” that 7 out of 10 homework assignments involve access to the Internet but 1 out of 3 households don’t have it.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) agreed, noting rural kids in her state often live on Indian reservations, where “you’ll see 20 kids in the yard” of one house trying to do their homework because that’s where a good signal is.
Rosenworcel agreed, calling the digital divide “cruel,” and said The FCC should support public and private partnerships to eliminate the divide. Two such programs between the Department of Education and the commission are Connect Ed and Connect Home.
Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said: “We want you to be relentless on this,” referring to the fund to support mobility deployment in rural areas.
Rocenworcel agreed, noting that areas that have broadband wireless service are better able to compete. Half of the jobs today require some sort of digital skills; by the end of the decade that number will rise to roughly 77%, said Rosenworcel.
Rosenworcel, a former communications counsel for the committee, came to the FCC in May of 2012. President Obama nominated her for a second five-year term. Her first term ended this June however she may remain at the commission until December 31 of 2016 while awaiting Senate confirmation.
RBR+TVBR observation: I doubt her confirmation by the full Senate will take long. At the end of the nearly two-hour hearing that was not contentious, Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.) said the committee looks forward “to processing your nomination.” And the full Senate will be guided by the committee’s action.
