WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV issued the following statement today regarding the nomination of Jessica Rosenworcel to be a Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).  Ms. Rosenworcel currently serves as the Senior Counsel for the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which has jurisdiction over the FCC. 

“I could not be more pleased that President Obama has nominated Jessica to be an FCC Commissioner,” said Chairman Rockefeller.  “She is an undisputed communications law expert who has earned the respect of both Democrats and Republicans alike on the Commerce Committee as well as telecommunications industry stakeholders and consumer advocates.  As Commissioner Copps once said when Jessica left the FCC to come to the Senate: ‘Their gain is my loss,’ and today, I couldn’t agree more.  There is no better qualified person for this position.  Jessica will be an effective advocate by working to close the digital divide and bring expanded access to all Americans in this 21^st century communications age.”

Background:

Ms. Rosenworcel started her law career in 1997 as an Associate for the law firm Drinker, Biddle focusing on communications issues.  She began working at the FCC in 1999 as an Adviser in the Common Carrier Bureau and later as Legal Counsel for the Wireline Competition Bureau and as Senior Adviser to Commissioner Copps.  She has served on the Commerce Committee staff as the Senior Counsel overseeing the FCC for more than 4 years.  As Senior Counsel for the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet, Ms. Rosenworcel is one of the Senate’s leading staff experts on communications policy.

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