The Senate has confirmed Tom Wheeler as chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission and Michael O’Reilly to fill the commission’s open Republican seat, The New York Times reported Tuesday.Edward Wyatt writes Sen. Ted Cruz cleared the way for a unanimous vote on Wheeler’s nomination after placing a hold on the process.
Cruz instituted the block two weeks ago because he wanted more information about whether Wheeler would pursue disclosure rules for political advertising on television, according to the report.
The Times reports Wheeler told Cruz before the vote that he understood the point that Congress should decide on political ad-buying disclosure requirements.
Wheeler and O’Reilly will work on several issues including incentive auctions to free up more public airwaves for broadband and wireless providers, Wyatt writes.
The appointments bring the agency back to its full strength of five commissioners.
