Wheeler Confirmation Hearing for FCC Chairmanship Set for June 18

The U.S. Senate’s Commerce Committee, chaired by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), has scheduled a hearing on President Obama’s nomination of Thomas Wheeler to be Chairman of the FCC on Tuesday, June 18 at 2:30 PM Eastern.  The hearing will be webcast on the Committee’s website. 

While a full Senate vote to approve Mr. Wheeler’s nomination theoretically could occur at any time after a favorable Committee vote, it is virtually certain that Mr. Wheeler will not be confirmed until a Republican nominee for the FCC Commissioner position recently vacated by Robert McDowell is named by the President and is similarly approved by the Commerce Committee.  As a result, it is unlikely that Mr. Wheeler will actually become FCC Chairman before September.