After a meeting between the two, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) announced Tuesday that he is lifting his hold on Tom Wheeler, the Obama administration’s pick to lead the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), paving the way for the Senate to confirm Wheeler.
As the government shutdown was coming to an end earlier this month, Cruz placed a hold on Wheeler’s nomination, saying he wanted more information about how Wheeler envisioned using the FCC’s authority to force major political donors to reveal contributions to TV campaign ads.
On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) filed cloture to hold a vote on Wheeler’s nomination.
Cruz and Wheeler met Tuesday, during which Wheeler assured Cruz he has no intentions of using the agency’s authority to revive campaign spending transparency provisions that had been included in the DISCLOSE Act, which was defeated in 2010.
“In our meeting this afternoon, Mr. Wheeler stated that he had heard the unambiguous message that trying to impose the requirements of the DISCLOSE Act, absent congressional action, would imperil the Commission’s vital statutory responsibilities, and he explicitly stated that doing so was ‘not a priority,'” Cruz said in a statement.
“Based on those representations, I have lifted my hold on his nomination, and I look forward to working with him on the FCC to expand jobs and economic growth.”
Senate leaders hope to have Wheeler and Mike O’Rielly — the nominee to fill the open Republican spot at the FCC — confirmed unanimously.