GOP, Cruz Tell FCC ‘Pencils Down’ After Trump Win

Congressional Republicans wasted no time this week in putting their stamp on internet policy. Two days after the election, Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, sent a “pencils down” letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.

“I request the FCC and all of its bureaus and offices immediately stop work on any partisan or controversial matters under consideration or in progress and focus only on matters that are uncontroversial or require action under the law,” Cruz wrote.

Blair Levin, a former chief of staff at the FCC and a telecom industry analyst at New Street Research, described this to me as “standard operating procedure” and noted that the previous two FCC chairs had received similar letters after their parties lost the presidency.

House Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Republican from Washington, sent her own letter on Wednesday urging Rosenworcel to stop work on any “partisan or controversial” items on her agenda. 

The FCC wasn’t alone: McMorris Rodgers sent a version of the letter to heads of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. She’s been a staunch opponent of many FCC actions during US President Joe Biden’s four years. 

In July, for instance, the FCC approved a rule allowing schools and libraries to use federal resources to loan out Wi-Fi hotspots to students and others, saying the move would assist people without solid net connections at home. McMorris Rodgers called the action misguided and condemned it as an overreach.

“The FCC is doubling down to advance Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s pet projects,” she said in a statement at the time. “The FCC should instead be working with Congress to advance its policy goals.”

The FCC consists of five commissioners, with one designated as chairperson by the US president. The FCC chairperson traditionally resigns when the opposition party wins the presidency.

Current FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel has championed progressive internet policies, supporting net neutrality, fighting digital discrimination, and advocating for internet subsidies for low-income users. 

The two Republican FCC commissioners have attacked these policies. Brendan Carr, the front-runner for the next FCC chair under a Trump administration, has been critical of government regulations like net neutrality and a requirement that internet providers that receive federal money offer affordable plans. 

Most of the big-ticket items, like net neutrality, have already been passed by Rosenworcel’s FCC. The November agenda is relatively uncontroversial, with the hottest item being an order on the reporting requirements for TV channel blackouts during negotiations between broadcasters and distributors. The FCC could also delay any items that have existing reconsideration petitions, industry officials told Communications Daily. 

Rosenworcel hasn’t said how Trump’s victory would impact the FCC’s agenda over the next two months. The FCC also didn’t respond to CNET’s request for comment.