US President Donald Trump has nominated Indian-American Ajit Pai to serve another term at the powerful Federal Communications Commission. Pai is the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). He was designated Chairman by President Trump in January 2017. He had previously served as Commissioner at the FCC, appointed by then-President Barack Obama and confirmed unanimously by the Senate in May 2012. “These dedicated men and women will help me and the rest of the Administration as we continue our work to make America great again. I am grateful for their willingness to serve and honoured that they will be joining my team,” Trump said as he announced several other key administration posts along with that of Pai.
Commenting on Pai’s nomination to a new term, FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said, “I congratulate Chairman Pai on being nominated by the President to serve a second term on the Commission. “For the past five years, I have had the honour of working with Ajit on issues that make an everlasting difference in the lives of the American people. I look forward to continuing in these efforts, as we work to achieve a shared goal of closing the digital and opportunities divide,” Clyburn said. Before joining FCC, Pai was a Partner at Jenner & Block, LLP from 2011 until 2012, and Deputy General Counsel, Associate General Counsel, and Special Advisor to the General Counsel at the FCC from 2007 until 2011. The son of immigrants from India, Pai grew up in Parsons, Kansas.
Appearing before a Congressional committee yesterday, Pai said in his new role as Chairman of Federal Communications Commission, he look forward to bring digital opportunity to all Americans. “High-speed Internet access, or broadband, is critical to economic opportunity. But there are still too many parts of this country where broadband is unavailable or unaffordable,” he said. “There is a real and growing digital divide in America. In wealthier, metropolitan areas, 4G LTE is ubiquitous, and gigabit fixed service is expanding. But many rural areas are being left behind,” Pai said in his testimony before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. The FCC is an independent agency created by Congressional statute to regulate interstate communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and US territories.
