The Senate has voted to confirm Democrat Anna Gomez as a commissioner for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), ending the deadlock that has persisted throughout the Biden presidency. The final vote count was 55-43, in favor of Gomez.

This confirmation follows a long battle to confirm President Biden’s original nominee for the commissioner seat, Gigi Sohn. As senators remained divided over her confirmation, the FCC was left deadlocked with an equal number of Republican and Democratic commissioners. This limited the agency’s ability to advance its agenda, as both sides had to agree on every decision.

With the addition of Gomez, a telecommunications attorney who has previously held positions at the FCC and in the private sector, the agency now has the opportunity to pursue actions without the support of the Republican commissioners. One potential area of focus could be the restoration of net neutrality rules, which aim to prevent internet service providers from restricting or blocking access to specific websites. President Biden has expressed his support for the concept of net neutrality. However, the late confirmation and the upcoming 2024 elections may complicate efforts to implement such policies.

Despite being initially nominated in October 2021, Gigi Sohn eventually withdrew herself from consideration in March of this year. Opposition to her confirmation came from both Republicans and some Democrats. Sohn commented that she had faced relentless criticism and attacks during this period, stating, “It is a sad day for our country and our democracy when powerful industries, with the assistance of unlimited dark money, are able to choose their regulators.”

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