The Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled a vote Dec. 8 on the nominations of Jessica Rosenworcel and Ajit Pai to the FCC. They are expected to sail through that next step in the process.
The pair met with encouraging words from both sides of the aisle in their Wednesday, Nov. 30, confirmation hearing. Given that the record was left open for a week for further written questions -- and answers -- Dec. 8 was about as soon as a vote could have been held.
The remaining hurdle is a threatened hold on the nominations by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) over an unrelated issue, which would prevent a full Senate vote."His hold when the nominees reach the Senate floor still stands," said a spokesperson for the senator late Friday.
But Senate Commerce Chair Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) has pledged to work with any colleagues who had issues so he could get the pair confirmed ASAP, and more than one lobbyist was predicting Friday that Grassley's concerns could be assuaged in time for a pre-Christmas confirmation.
Also slated for a vote the same day is the renomination of Jon Leibowitz, chair of the Federal Trade Commission.
