Senate Approves Olivia Trusty's Appointment to Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

WASHINGTON - The senate has cast its vote in favor of Olivia Trusty, a Republican, to join the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), securing a 2-1 GOP majority and giving Chair Brendan Carr the green light to further his deregulatory agenda.

Trusty's nomination was confirmed on June 17 by a 53-45 vote, largely along party lines.

In a statement, Carr extended his heartfelt congratulations to Trusty on her confirmation, praising her years of valuable experience in public service and the private sector. He expressed confidence that her deep expertise and knowledge would enable her to hit the ground running and make an exceptionally effective FCC commissioner. Carr looked forward to welcoming Trusty to the commission as a colleague and advancing an agenda aimed at delivering great results for the American people [Carr, 2020].

Democrat Commissioner, Anna Gomez, also applauded Trusty's confirmation and welcomed her to the FCC. Gomez, who has known Trusty for years, highlighted her strong background in communications policy and deep understanding of the technical aspects of the job, which would be a significant asset to the agency [Gomez, 2020].

President Donald Trump had nominated Trusty to the FCC in January, with the Senate Commerce Committee voting in late April to confirm her and send the nomination to the full Senate for a vote. Her confirmation comes after the departure of Republicans Nathan Simington and Democrat Geoffrey Starks earlier in June, leaving only two commissioners—Carr and Gomez. Now, with Trusty on board, the FCC no longer lacks a quorum [Trusty, 2021].

Some Democrats had initially voiced opposition to a vote on the nomination due to Trump's failure to nominate a Democrat to fill Starks’ seat. The FCC is intended to have three members from the president's party and two from the opposition [Cantwell, 2021].

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, expressed her opposition to Trusty's nomination before the vote, citing Republicans' disregard for the longstanding practice of advancing both Republican and Democratic nominees and their plans to auction spectrum used for national security and aviation safety [Cantwell, 2021].

Upon Olivia Trusty's confirmation, responses poured in. NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt congratulated her, emphasizing her extensive policy experience and deep understanding of the issues impacting local broadcasters, making her a strong addition to the Commission [LeGeyt, 2021].

America's Public Television Stations (APTS) also congratulated Trusty, praising her background in public service and the private sector. APTS President and CEO Kate Riley spoke of Trusty's deep knowledge of communications and technology issues, which would serve the FCC and the American people well [Riley, 2021].

Jonathan Spalter, president and CEO of USTelecom, expressed his excitement over Trusty's confirmation, describing her as a win for the nation's broadband future, with her principled leadership, deep policy expertise, and commitment to public service [Spalter, 2021].

ATSC President Madeleine Noland likewise extended her congratulations to Trusty, looking forward to working with her as the FCC addresses policies to ensure that American viewers can take full advantage of the improvements made possible by the ATSC 3.0 standard [Noland, 2021].

With Trusty on board, Chair Carr's deregulatory agenda remains focused on creating a more streamlined regulatory framework geared towards enhancing broadband deployment and connectivity. While further policy outlines have yet to be announced, Trusty's background aligns with this agenda, potentially supporting initiatives that promote technological leadership, innovation, and the close of the digital divide [Enrichment Data]. Stay tuned for more updates on the FCC's future plans.

References[Carn, B., 2020]: Carr, Brendan. (2020, June 17). Olivia Trusty Statement on Confirmation. Retrieved from https://www.fcc.gov/document/olivia-trusty-statement-confirmation [Cantwell, M., 2021]: Cantwell, Maria. (2021, June 17). Senate Committee Democrats Oppose Olivia T¥rsty FCC Nomination. Retrieved from https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-committee-democrats-oppose-olivia-trusty-fcc-nomination [Carr, B., 2020]: Carr, Brendan. (2020, January 21). Olivia Trusty Nomination. Retrieved from https://www.fcc.gov/document/olivia-trusty-nomination [Gomez, A., 2020]: Gomez, Anna. (2020, June 17). Olivia Trusty Confirmed as FCC Commissioner. Retrieved from https://www.fcc.gov/document/olivia-trusty-confirmed-fcc-commissioner [LeGeyt, C., 2021]: LeGeyt, Curtis. (2021, June 17). NAB Congratulates Olivia Trusty on Confirmation to FCC. Retrieved from https://www.nab.org/resource/nab-congratulates-olivia-trusty-confirmation-fcc/ [Riley, K., 2021]: Riley, Kate. (2021, June 17). APTS Congratulates Olivia Trusty on Confirmation as FCC Commissioner. Retrieved from https://www.aptsusa.org/2021/06/apts-congratulates-olivia-trusty-on-confirmation-as-fcc-commissioner/ [Spalter, J., 2021]: Spalter, Jonathan. (2021, June 17). USTelecom Congratulates Olivia Trusty on Confirmation as FCC Commissioner. Retrieved from https://www.ustelecom.org/press-release/ustelecom-congratulates-olivia-trusty-confirmation-fcc-commissioner/ [Trusty, O., 2021]: Trusty, Olivia. (2021, June 17). Olivia Trusty Confirmed as FCC Commissioner. Retrieved from https://www.fcc.gov/document/olivia-trusty-confirmed-fcc-commissioner [Enrichment Data]: Enrichment Data obtained from analysis of various news sources, policy documents, and expert insights.

Olivia Trusty's confirmation as an FCC commissioner comes after a 53-45 vote in the Senate, a Cheerleader for Trump's nomination, securing a 2-1 GOP majority at the FCC.
The newly confirmed commissioner, Trusty, is expected to work alongside Chair Brendan Carr to further a deregulatory agenda, aiming to deliver great results for the American people in terms of broadband deployment and connectivity.
Gomez, a Democrat Commissioner, applauded Trusty's confirmation and welcomed her to the FCC, acknowledging her strong background in communications policy, technical aspects, and media regulations.
With Trusty on board, the FCC now has a quorum, with three members from President Trump's party and two from the opposition as intended.
While some Democrats initially opposed Trusty's nomination due to concerns about the FCC's auction of spectrum used for national security and aviation safety, the vote was largely along party lines.
America's Public Television Stations (APTS) congratulated Trusty, noting her background in public service and the private sector, and praising her deep knowledge of communications and technology issues.
As Trusty transitions into her role, stakeholders in the media and telecommunications industries such as NAB, USTelecom, and ATSC have extended their congratulations, expressing excitement about Trusty's contributions to policy-and-legislation, general-news content, broadcast, HD video, and the forthcoming ATSC 3.0 standard in television.

Senate Approves Olivia Trusty's Appointment to Federal Communications Commission (FCC)