On May 26, the Senate approved by unanimous consent Robert McDowell's appointment as an FCC commissioner. The vote came after a tussle over a series of holds placed on his nomination in the past couple of months. McDowell's arrival will bring the Commission to a full slate of 5 members for the first time in more than year and give FCC Chairman Kevin Martin a Republican majority.
A former telecommunications lawyer, McDowell joins Republicans Martin and Deborah Taylor Tate on the Commission. The two Democrats are Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein. Martin welcomed the nomination, saying in a written statement that McDowell “has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the communications arena… I am anxious to have him onboard and look forward to working with a full complement of Commissioners.” McDowell fills out a term that ends June 30, 2009.
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