Texas State Senator Ted Cruz has prevented the Senate from voting to confirm Tom Wheeler as the new chairperson of the Federal Communications Commission.
The Senate was prepared to vote on Wheeler’s nomination this week, but Cruz wants answers from Wheeler on donor disclosures. “The Senator is holding the nominee until he gets answers to his questions regarding Mr. Wheeler’s views on whether the FCC has the authority or intent to implement the requirements of the failed Congressional DISCLOSE Act,” said Cruz spokesman Sean Rushton. “Mr. Wheeler had previously declined to give specific answers, but as he’s now expressed his readiness to revisit the Senator’s questions.” Cruz hopes to speak with Wheeler about the issue soon. Wheeler was nominated by President Barack Obama to lead the FCC. Cruz, a republican, opposes the President’s Obamacare initiative and recently played a role in forcing the U.S. government shutdown, which, among other things, shuttered the FCC. The FCC has been led by commissioner Mignon Clyburn on a temporary basis since May after the departure of former chairperson Julius Genachowski.
The FCC needs to install the new chairperson in order to move forward with projects such as spectrum auctions.
