Robert M. McDowell
Encyclopedia
Robert Malcolm McDowell (born June 13, 1963) is a commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission
.
and unanimously confirmed by the Senate in 2006. When he was reappointed to the Commission on June 2, 2009, Commissioner McDowell became the first Republican
to be appointed to an independent agency by President Barack Obama
. The U.S. Senate confirmed him unanimously on June 25, 2009. Commissioner McDowell's second term ends June 2014.
As a Commissioner, McDowell has worked to help consumers in the communications marketplace enjoy the benefits of more choices, lower prices and useful innovations through increased competition. He believes that the government should try to remove barriers to entry, allowing competition to flourish. While he acknowledges that there are instances when the government should step in to address market failure, he emphasizes that any remedies applied should be narrowly-tailored and sunseted, to maximize freedom for all market players
1) Nothing is broken in the Internet access market that needs fixing;
2) The FCC does not have the legal authority to issue net neutrality rules;
3) The rules are likely to cause irreparable harm; and
4) Existing law and Internet governance structures provide ample consumer protection in the event a systemic market failure
occurs.
He has long stated that USF reform should include the following five basic objectives:
(1) contain the growth of the Fund;
(2) broaden the base of contributors;
(3) reduce the contribution burden;
(4) ensure competitive neutrality; and
(5) eliminate waste, fraud and other abuses of the system.
On August 12, 2008, FCC Commissioner Robert M. McDowell stated that the reinstitution of the Fairness Doctrine could be intertwined with the debate over network neutrality.
He outlined the history of the Fairness Doctrine in a January 2009 speech at the Media Institute.
McDowell called for an audit of the FCC’s operations, finances and ethical practices and also wanted the agency to consider restructuring itself. Commissioner McDowell stated “the bottom line is simple: No commissioner should learn of official actions through the trade press. Maybe we could call this our ‘leave no Commissioner behind’ program. He further outlined his ideas for reforming the agency and eliminating unnecessary regulations in a speech at TIA in May 2011 and in his July 2011 testimony to the House Commerce Oversight an Investigations Subcommittee.
Immediately before his confirmation to the FCC, he was Senior Vice President
and Assistant General Counsel
of COMPTEL (Competitive Telecommunications Association), an industry trade group
of competitive (non-RBOC
) telephone companies.
McDowell has twice run for a seat in the Virginia General Assembly and served as a member of several boards and commissions, including the Governor's Advisory Board for a Safe and Drug-Free Virginia.
In 1986 and 1987 he served as chief legislative aide to Virginia Delegate
Robert T. Andrews (R-McLean
).
Following the 2000 presidential election
, he worked on the Florida election recount
for the Bush team.
with his wife, the former Jennifer Griffin, and their three children.
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
.
Federal Communications Commissioner
Robert M. McDowell was first appointed to a seat on the Federal Communications Commission by U.S. President George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and unanimously confirmed by the Senate in 2006. When he was reappointed to the Commission on June 2, 2009, Commissioner McDowell became the first Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
to be appointed to an independent agency by President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. The U.S. Senate confirmed him unanimously on June 25, 2009. Commissioner McDowell's second term ends June 2014.
As a Commissioner, McDowell has worked to help consumers in the communications marketplace enjoy the benefits of more choices, lower prices and useful innovations through increased competition. He believes that the government should try to remove barriers to entry, allowing competition to flourish. While he acknowledges that there are instances when the government should step in to address market failure, he emphasizes that any remedies applied should be narrowly-tailored and sunseted, to maximize freedom for all market players
Net Neutrality
Commissioner McDowell has been an outspoken critic of net neutrality rules, casting a dissenting vote based on four primary concerns:1) Nothing is broken in the Internet access market that needs fixing;
2) The FCC does not have the legal authority to issue net neutrality rules;
3) The rules are likely to cause irreparable harm; and
4) Existing law and Internet governance structures provide ample consumer protection in the event a systemic market failure
occurs.
Universal Service and Intercarrier Compensation
Commissioner McDowell believes that the first priority in reforming universal service is “to restore fiscal responsibility to this program.”He has long stated that USF reform should include the following five basic objectives:
(1) contain the growth of the Fund;
(2) broaden the base of contributors;
(3) reduce the contribution burden;
(4) ensure competitive neutrality; and
(5) eliminate waste, fraud and other abuses of the system.
Fairness Doctrine
Commissioner McDowell has been a long-standing critic of the Fairness Doctrine and has repeatedly called for the FCC to repeal the remnants of the Fairness Doctrine from its books.On August 12, 2008, FCC Commissioner Robert M. McDowell stated that the reinstitution of the Fairness Doctrine could be intertwined with the debate over network neutrality.
He outlined the history of the Fairness Doctrine in a January 2009 speech at the Media Institute.
White Spaces
Commissioner McDowell has long supported unlicensed uses of vacant TV broadcast channels known as “white spaces.” Commissioner McDowell applauded the FCC’s November 2008 rules to open up white spaces for unlicensed use stating, “Robust unlicensed use of white spaces will give nimble entrepreneurs the freedom to disrupt the market in positive and constructive ways that will force incumbents to keep pace with this new revolution. As a result, the pressure created by dynamic competition will knock down barriers created by walled gardens and pry open closed networks. This liberation will come about not through increased regulation, but through increased competition.”700 MHz Auction
Commissioner McDowell dissented in part to the Commission’s July 2007 rules governing the 700 MHz spectrum auction, arguing that the overly proscriptive rules, such as the open access requirement, would discourage some bidders and ultimately decrease the proceeds from the auction.FCC Reform
Commissioner McDowell has long advocated major reforms to the FCC’s structure and operations. In 2009, he sent letters to Acting Chairman Copps and Chairman Genachowski outlining some of his ideas.McDowell called for an audit of the FCC’s operations, finances and ethical practices and also wanted the agency to consider restructuring itself. Commissioner McDowell stated “the bottom line is simple: No commissioner should learn of official actions through the trade press. Maybe we could call this our ‘leave no Commissioner behind’ program. He further outlined his ideas for reforming the agency and eliminating unnecessary regulations in a speech at TIA in May 2011 and in his July 2011 testimony to the House Commerce Oversight an Investigations Subcommittee.
AT&T Recusal
McDowell recused himself from a vote on an $86 billion merger between AT&T and BellSouth citing his ethics agreement with the Senate Commerce Committee. AT&T then allegedly campaigned against McDowell’s renomination to the Commission in 2009. Endorsed by Senate Republican Leader, Mitch McConnell, AT&T’s efforts to block McDowell’s renomination were unsuccessful, as Commissioner McDowell was reconfirmed June 2009.Digital Television Transition
Commissioner McDowell traveled to over 20 television markets to raise awareness about the digital television transition and wrote numerous op-eds on the topic. He was especially critical that the Commission lacked a coordinated call center response only one month prior to the original February 17, 2009 cut-off date. In a January 14, 2009 letter to then-Chairman Martin he expressed his concern about the Commission’s lack of readiness, emphasizing that “the Commission must be better organized, more energetic and must coordinate its efforts in a more open and collaborative manner.” The DTV transition deadline was later extended by Congress to June 12, 2006.Early Career
Commissioner McDowell is a former FCC lobbyist for telecommunications companies that compete against the Baby Bells.Immediately before his confirmation to the FCC, he was Senior Vice President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
and Assistant General Counsel
General Counsel
A general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
of COMPTEL (Competitive Telecommunications Association), an industry trade group
Industry trade group
A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association or sector association, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry...
of competitive (non-RBOC
Regional Bell Operating Company
The Regional Bell Operating Companies are the result of United States v. AT&T, the U.S. Department of Justice antitrust suit against the former American Telephone & Telegraph Company . On January 8, 1982, AT&T Corp. settled the suit and agreed to divest its local exchange service operating...
) telephone companies.
McDowell has twice run for a seat in the Virginia General Assembly and served as a member of several boards and commissions, including the Governor's Advisory Board for a Safe and Drug-Free Virginia.
In 1986 and 1987 he served as chief legislative aide to Virginia Delegate
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
Robert T. Andrews (R-McLean
McLean, Virginia
McLean is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. The community had a total population of 48,115 as of the 2010 census....
).
Following the 2000 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2000
The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President....
, he worked on the Florida election recount
Florida election recount
The Florida election recount of 2000 was a period of vote re-counting that occurred following the unclear results of the 2000 United States presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore, specifically the Florida results. The election was ultimately settled in favor of George W. Bush when...
for the Bush team.
Bar admissions
- Virginia State BarVirginia State BarCreated in 1938, The Virginia State Bar is the administrative agency of the Supreme Court of Virginia whose purpose is to regulate, improve and advance the legal profession in Virginia. The Bar was established by an act of the Virginia General Assembly and is delegated the power to issue...
- Supreme Court of the United States of America
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
Personal Life
He is the son of the late Hobart K. McDowell, Jr., and the late Martha Louise Shea McDowell. He resides on the farm where he grew up near Vienna, VirginiaVienna, Virginia
Vienna is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 15,687. Significantly more people live in zip codes with the Vienna postal addresses bordered approximately by Interstate 66 on the south, Interstate 495 on the east, Route 7 to...
with his wife, the former Jennifer Griffin, and their three children.
Op-Eds
- Broadband Baloney | Wall Street Journal | July 24, 2007
- Who Should Solve This Internet Crisis? | Washington Post | July 28, 2008
- Are You Ready For Feb. 17 Transition? | Richmond Times-DispatchRichmond Times-DispatchThe Richmond Times-Dispatch is the primary daily newspaper in Richmond the capital of Virginia, United States, and is commonly considered the "newspaper of record" for events occurring in much of the state...
| December 1, 2008 - Hands off the Internet, please | Washington Post | April 9, 2010
- Proposed Internet Regulation: A Harmful Blast from the Past | The Daily CallerThe Daily CallerThe Daily Caller is a news website based in Washington, D.C., United States, with a focus on politics, original reporting and breaking news, founded by journalist and political pundit Tucker Carlson and Neil Patel, former adviser to former Vice President Dick Cheney...
| July 15, 2010 - The U.N. Threat to Internet Freedom | Wall Street Journal | July 22, 2010
- The FCC's Threat to Internet Freedom | Wall Street Journal | December 20, 2010
- 9/11 and the Forgotten History of the Public Safety Communications Network that was Never Built | The Daily CallerThe Daily CallerThe Daily Caller is a news website based in Washington, D.C., United States, with a focus on politics, original reporting and breaking news, founded by journalist and political pundit Tucker Carlson and Neil Patel, former adviser to former Vice President Dick Cheney...
| September 9, 2011
Profiles
- McDowell Shows Independence | By Arshad Mohammed | Washington Post | August 8, 2006
- Dingell Gets His Man | Wall Street Journal | December 19, 2006
- Amid Twists at FCC Review, AT&T Hurdles Loom | By Amy Schatz | Wall Street Journal | December 19, 2006
- FCC to Feel Unfamiliar Heat From Democrats | By Charles Babington | Washington Post | January 26, 2007
- Robert McDowell | WhoRunsGov | March 8, 2011