WASHINGTON—The Senate Commerce Committee has voted to send the nomination of FCC Commissioner candidate Gigi Sohn to the full senate for a vote. The committee voted along party lines, 14-14, making her eligible for a floor vote, but without a recommendation.
If approved, Sohn would be the fifth and final commissioner to be approved to the commission, which has been split 2-2 politically for more than a year.
Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), committee chair, stressed the importance of the Biden administration’s broadband policies in casting her vote to approve. Ranking member Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said he couldn’t approve Sohn’s nomination due to concerns over conflicts of interest, despite her promise to recuse herself when issues of her public advocacy were addressed by the commission.
The NAB had initially voiced “serious concerns” over her nomination over her support of the Locast streaming service that broadcasters had shut down last year over copyright violations. The association changed its tune after Sohn said she would recuse herself from retrans and broadcast copyright issues.
It is not yet clear when the senate will vote on her nomination.
