US President Joe Biden nominates Jessica Rosenworcel as first female FCC Chair

Jessica Rosenworcel, the acting chair of the Federal Communications Commission, is in line to make history as the first woman to head the FCC. This comes after President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday that he is nominating Rosenworcel to lead the commission, the agency which is tasked with regulating telecommunications technology. It is to mention that Rosenworcel, who is serving as acting chair of the FCC since January, would assume the role of the head of the commission if she will be confirmed by the Senate.

The Biden administration also nominated Gigi Sohn for commissioner of the FCC and Alan Davidson for assistant secretary for Communications and Information at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration at the Department of Commerce. If confirmed by the Senate, Sohn will become the first openly LGBTQI+ commissioner who has already been on the panel since 2012.

In a statement, the White House congratulated Rosenworcel and said that she has "worked to promote greater opportunity, accessibility and affordability" in the American communication services to ensure all citizens get a "fair shot at 21st-century success." Meanwhile, Rosenworcel took to Twitter to thank Biden and her family and mentors.

Know about Jessica Rosenworcel

According to FCC, Jessica Rosenworcel believes "strong communications markets can foster economic growth and security, enhance digital age opportunity and enrich civil lives." A native of Hartford, Connecticut, Rosenworcel has a graduation degree from Wesleyan and New York University School of Law. Before joining the agency, she has served as the Senior Communications Counsel for the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Besides, she also has years of practice in communication law in Washington DC. She was named as one of POLITICO's 50 Politicos to Watch and profiled by InStyle Magazine in a series celebrating "women who show up, speak up and get things done". Moreover, She brings over 2o years of communications policy experience and public service to the FCC.

"From fighting to protect an open internet, to ensuring broadband access for students caught in the Homework Gap through the FCC's Emergency Connectivity Fund, to making sure that households struggling to afford internet service stay connected through the Emergency Broadband Benefit program, she has been a champion for connectivity for all," the White House said in a statement.

Democrats to hold a 3-2 majority if both Rosenworcel & Sohn are confirmed

Earlier, a group of 25 senators wrote a letter to Biden, requesting him to appoint Rosenworcel as permanent chair. “We represent 17 states and a wide range of political and policy views, but one thing we have in common is a belief that there is no better qualified or more competent person to lead the FCC at this important time than Acting Chair Rosenworcel,” they wrote. “Importantly, we believe that Acting Chair Rosenworcel will face few obstacles to her confirmation," the letter further read. 

(Image: AP)