No Agreement Yet On Genachowski, McDowell Senate Vote

There is yet no agreement on moving the nominations of Julius Genachowski and Robert McDowell to a vote in the full Senate.

The pair have already been approved by the Senate Commerce Committee for FCC chairman and commissioner, respectively.

Sources say Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) would like to get them voted on, either by unanimous consent or, failing that, a roll call vote, before the Senate breaks for its July 4 recess on Friday.

But a spokesperson for Senator Reid told B&C Tuesday: "We are still working to get an agreement on the nominations," said Regan LaChapelle, Reid's deputy communications director.

As to his wanting to get the nominations voted this week, LaChapelle said: "As with all of the President’s nominees, it is important that we confirm this nomination as soon as possible so that he has a full team to address the many issues confronting the nation."

The problems with getting that agreement could stem from issues at least a couple of Senators had with the nominees' written answers to some questions.

Both are still expected eventually to be confirmed.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.