Taxpayer Watchdog Congratulates New FCC Chairman and Applauds FCC Nominee

For Immediate Release

Contact: Kara Zupkus (224) 456-0257

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Taxpayers Protection Alliance congratulates Brendan Carr as he takes over as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). TPA also applauds President Donald Trump’s nomination of Olivia Trusty to fill the seat on the FCC that recently opened.

Trusty now serves as policy director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and is a longtime staffer of Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). Trusty has already received high praise from Carr –who has been a commissioner at the FCC since 2017 – calling her career on Capitol Hill “distinguished.”

Trusty’s appointment would give Republicans a 3-2 majority on the commission, in accordance with tradition for the party that controls the White House.

In response, TPA President David Williams offered the following comment:

“Carr has been a fervent supporter of a light regulator touch to keep a free and open internet.  Carr has also been an ardent supporter of taxpayers in his insistence of oversight in the $42.5 billion in taxpayer money handed out to states through the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program.”

With the addition of Trusty, TPA anticipates positive movement from a Republican-led FCC for free-market principles, and based on the high praise for Trusty, we expect great things from the nominee,” he said.

“In her role, hopefully Trusty will work to cut the regulations that have hampered broadband growth and the ability of providers to close the digital divide. Eliminating red tape will better enable all Americans to gain access to high-speed internet, especially with the BEAD Program.”

“TPA would recommend that Trusty read our reports on government-owned networks (GONs) and their consultants (found here, here, and here), and focus the FCC’s work on creating a level playing field for all providers rather than favoring any bureaucracy or technology in its decision making. The FCC can also lend its support to the PROTOCOL Act, a congressional bill that would harmonize broadband coverage maps across government agencies to ensure the government has the most accurate picture of broadband coverage across the U.S.”

“With Carr as Chairman and Trusty as the fifth commissioner, the FCC is positioned to great things for taxpayer and consumers.”