Sen. Cruz Tells FCC to Hit Pause on Regulation

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11, 2024 - A key Republican Senator wants the Federal Communications Commission to slam the breaks on any potentially controversial actions until Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

“Between now and January 20, 2025, it is important to ensure the smoothest transition possible,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said in a Thursday letter to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “Any controversial FCC action taken up or continued after November 5th will receive particular scrutiny.”

Cruz asserted that the FCC should limit itself to matters that are uncontroversial or require action under the law. Cruz noted that the request for the FCC to pause contentious rulemakings was not new. 

House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., said in a Nov. 6 letter to Rosenworcel that “the FCC should immediately stop work on any partisan or controversial item under consideration.” 

McMorris Rodgers' statement was echoed by FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, who said that the FCC should halt its contentious actions in a Thursday statement.

Before Rosenworcel was designated to lead the FCC in 2021, she too requested a pause in FCC rulemaking under then-Chairman Ajit Pai with the agency’s leadership about to change, saying it was part of the agency's tradition.

“I urge FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to follow this past practice in order to ensure an orderly transition of agency affairs. I look forward to continuing to work on the routine and consensus matters currently before the agency,” Rosenworcel said in a statement on Nov. 10, 2020.