Thune Throws in Towel on Rosenworcel Vote

Jessica Rosenworcel

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune has essentially given up on a floor vote for Democratic FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel’s confirmation for a second term.

The South Dakota Republican told Morning Consult on Thursday that a vote before her term ends on Dec. 31 is extremely unlikely despite FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s conditional pledge to step down if it would expedite her reconfirmation.

“My sense is that we’re kind of up against the clock now,” Thune said. “And it’s going to be very hard, even if Wheeler was agreeable to stepping down, to be able to get all this done between now and the time we go out.”

Stopgap funding for the government expires on Friday, and lawmakers are aiming to pass another spending bill, to last through April 28, before the end of the week.

Without Senate confirmation for a second term, Rosenworcel’s tenure at the agency will conclude at the end of the month.

Thune’s pronouncement comes amid a last-ditch effort from Wheeler to help confirm his fellow Democratic commissioner. Wheeler committed to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) this week that he would to step down immediately if it would ensure Rosenworcel’s confirmation.

Wheeler is required by law to step down as chairman of the commission when President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20, but his term as a commissioner doesn’t end until June 2018.

But his promise to stop down is being viewed as too little, too late. “If in fact he has made those representations, we’re just finding out about them now,” Thune told Morning Consult, adding that it seems Wheeler “wasn’t in any hurry to get out of there.”

Thune said it’s still possible Rosenworcel could be nominated again next year, perhaps as a part of a deal to reconfirm Republican Commissioner Ajit Pai.