Bid To Get Senate Approval For FCC Nominees By Unanimous Consent Fails

No Vote

For a short time on WEDNESDAY (10/17), it appeared that amidst the flurry of activity surrounding the end of the government shutdown, the Senate would "fast track" the confirmation of the nominees for the FCC, Chairman-designate TOM WHEELER and Commissioner nominee MICHAEL O'RIELLY, but the move to approve the nominees by voice vote stalled in the late hours.

THE HILL reported WEDNESDAY afternoon that a document was circulated WEDNESDAY to put the vote on a fast track after the body approved the deal to end the shutdown and raise the debt ceiling, but BROADCASTING AND CABLE reported late in the evening that the effort appeared to have been blocked and noted that a source said that Sen. TED CRUZ (R-TX) had blocked the vote on Democrat WHEELER, leading Democrats to pull their support for unanimous consent for Republican O'RIELLY.

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