President Donald Trump has chosen senior FCC commissioner Ajit Pai to be the next chairman if the Federal Communications Commission. Since Pai is already a FCC commissioner, he will not need to be re-confirmed by the Senate. He will, however, need Senate confirmation before the end of the year because his current five year term will be up at the close of this year.
The FCC board is divided strictly along political lines as neither major party may have more than three members sitting on the five member board. President Trump has two spots to fill on the board as the board is currently composed of two Republicans and one Democrat. The FCC has the power to regulate the internet providers, stop any major media mergers as well as revoke broadcast licenses.
Pai has long been an outspoken critic of current net neutrality rules and decisions and is strongly in favor or deregulation. Pai, of Indian decent, hails from Kansas and will be the 34th chairman of the FCC. While a commissioner, Pai was strongly outspoken and a vocal opponent of many Democrat party strategies and initiatives regarding trying to break up the major internet providers in the country such as Comcast, Verizon and AT&T. Pai is well educated with regard to American telecom laws, has long been an insider and was an outspoken critic of former chairman Tom Wheeler and his largely Democrat leaning agenda.
Upon his appointment, Pai stated that, “I look forward to working with the new Administration, my colleagues at the Commission, members of Congress and the American public to bring the benefits of the digital age to all Americans."
Especially with regard to the net neutrality rules, Pai publicly announced that "its days are numbered..." following President Trump's election victory. In recent years, guided by Democrat party policies, the FCC has become a pro-active force that has involved itself everywhere and has blocked certain mergers. Pai wants to aggressively move toward greater deregulation so that Internet investment can flourish and to speed up the process of broadband airwaves roll out.
Pai is, also, a former legal counsel to Verizon and seems in line with Trump's communication policies and opinions. In his official biography, Pai states that he is a strong supporter of the First Amendment which does, indeed, seem like a prudent move considering the Constitution in general, and the Amendments in particular, have always been the rule book by which any standing government has had to adhere.
PHOTO CREDITS: CNN / The Associated Press
The FCC board is divided strictly along political lines as neither major party may have more than three members sitting on the five member board. President Trump has two spots to fill on the board as the board is currently composed of two Republicans and one Democrat. The FCC has the power to regulate the internet providers, stop any major media mergers as well as revoke broadcast licenses.
Pai has long been an outspoken critic of current net neutrality rules and decisions and is strongly in favor or deregulation. Pai, of Indian decent, hails from Kansas and will be the 34th chairman of the FCC. While a commissioner, Pai was strongly outspoken and a vocal opponent of many Democrat party strategies and initiatives regarding trying to break up the major internet providers in the country such as Comcast, Verizon and AT&T. Pai is well educated with regard to American telecom laws, has long been an insider and was an outspoken critic of former chairman Tom Wheeler and his largely Democrat leaning agenda.
Upon his appointment, Pai stated that, “I look forward to working with the new Administration, my colleagues at the Commission, members of Congress and the American public to bring the benefits of the digital age to all Americans."
Especially with regard to the net neutrality rules, Pai publicly announced that "its days are numbered..." following President Trump's election victory. In recent years, guided by Democrat party policies, the FCC has become a pro-active force that has involved itself everywhere and has blocked certain mergers. Pai wants to aggressively move toward greater deregulation so that Internet investment can flourish and to speed up the process of broadband airwaves roll out.
Pai is, also, a former legal counsel to Verizon and seems in line with Trump's communication policies and opinions. In his official biography, Pai states that he is a strong supporter of the First Amendment which does, indeed, seem like a prudent move considering the Constitution in general, and the Amendments in particular, have always been the rule book by which any standing government has had to adhere.
PHOTO CREDITS: CNN / The Associated Press