Senate votes to keep FCC chairman Ajit Pai for four more years
As widely predicted, the Senate today voted to reconfirm FCC chairman Ajit Pai, allowing him to continue in the role for four more years.
Pai, a Republican member of the FCC elevated to the top post by President Trump in January, has spearheaded deregulation efforts in the telecom industry since taking over. Most significantly, he has moved to roll back net neutrality rules, a plan widely criticized by consumer advocacy organizations.
A campaign was mounted to block Pai’s reconfirmation, and during a floor debate, Democratic senators criticized Pai’s agenda. But with a Republican-led Senate, the approval seemed to be a foregone conclusion. Pai was ultimately reconfirmed by a 52 to...