Biden names acting chairs to lead FCC, FTC

President Biden designated Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel as acting chairs of their respective agencies on Thursday.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and FTC Chairman Joseph Simons, both Republicans, had announced plans to step down from their positions later this month. 

Rosenworcel said she is “honored” to be designated as acting chair of the FCC and work to expand communications opportunities across the nation. 

“I thank the President for the opportunity to lead an agency with such a vital mission and talented staff. It is a privilege to serve the American people and work on their behalf to expand the reach of communications opportunity in the digital age,” she said in a statement. 

During his time as chair, Pai repealed Obama-era net neutrality rules that allowed the FCC to go after service providers that discriminate against certain web traffic. The repeal is likely to be overturned after Democrats gain a 3-2 majority at the commission. 

Slaughter, who has worked at the FTC since 2018, said she is “deeply honored and grateful” to lead it. 

“The best part of serving at the FTC is working with our incredibly dedicated and talented staff. Their expertise, creativity, and steadfast commitment have filled me with confidence that we will be able to meet the formidable challenges facing our markets and the American people today,” Slaughter said in the announcement. 

She also thanked Simons, who said a day before Biden’s inauguration that he would be resigning, effective Jan. 29

“I want to express my sincere appreciation for the excellent leadership of Chairman Simons during a time of unprecedented challenges,” Slaughter said. 

Along with replacing Simons as FTC chair, Biden will need to fill another spot on the five-member board that was held by Democratic Commissioner Rohit Chopra. The president’s transition team said days before the transfer of power that the then-president-elect would be nominating Chopra to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.