# Republicans Push FCC Nomination Before Losing Senate Majority Senate Republicans aim to expand FCC control before the upcoming legislative transition. - **Source:** [Gizmodo](https://gizmodo.com/) - **Published:** 2026-11-05 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/c15be6c7-526d-4b8c-b822-3e7ead9b7ca3 ## Strategic Legislative Maneuvering Following midterm election losses, Senate Republicans are rushing to confirm Danielle Thumann Severs to the Federal Communications Commission. Senator Ted Cruz scheduled a hearing for November 10 to advance this nomination. This effort aims to secure a Republican majority before Democrats assume control of the Senate chamber in January 2025. ## Expanding Commission Majority The FCC currently operates with three commissioners, the minimum required for a quorum. Confirming Thumann Severs would shift the balance from 2-1 to 3-1 in favor of Republicans. Speculation suggests the administration might remove the lone Democrat, Anna Gomez, to establish an unprecedented and potentially legally contentious 3-0 Republican panel. ## Legal and Statutory Disputes Senator Ron Wyden warned that operating a 3-0 commission could violate federal requirements for bipartisan representation. He argued that such a move would render all agency actions, including license renewals and spectrum transfers, legally defective. This would create significant regulatory uncertainty for the entire communications industry across the United States. ## Shifting Agency Independence Under Chairman Brendan Carr, the FCC has moved away from its traditional status as an independent agency. The commission notably removed the word independent from its official mission statement. Carr has frequently asserted that the agency is not independent, signaling a shift toward closer alignment with the current executive administration's political goals. ## Broadcaster Regulatory Pressure Chairman Carr has utilized regulatory threats against broadcasters perceived as critical of the administration. He suggested potential FCC punishment for networks airing polls labeled as fake. These actions have influenced media operations, including the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel at ABC and the cancellation of long-running programs like CBS's The Late Show. ## Controversial Policy Changes In August, the FCC eliminated the national TV ownership cap, which previously restricted entities from reaching more than 39% of American households. Commissioner Anna Gomez challenged this decision, labeling it unlawful. She argued that such a fundamental change to federal law requires explicit congressional authorization rather than unilateral action by the commission. ## The Commissioner Holdover Provision Although Anna Gomez’s term officially expired on June 30, she remains eligible to serve until the end of 2027 under a statutory holdover provision. Her removal would require a specific administrative action. Her continued presence remains the primary obstacle to the administration's goal of achieving a fully Republican-controlled communications regulatory body. ## Implications for Media Landscape The push to solidify control over the FCC highlights a broader effort to reshape media regulation before the legislative power shift. If successful, this strategy could fundamentally alter how broadcasters operate under federal licenses. The resulting legal challenges will likely define the boundaries of executive authority over independent regulatory agencies for years. ## Sources covering this story - https://gizmodo.com/republicans-race-to-give-trump-more-power-over-the-fcc-before-losing-the-senate-2000835692 — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._