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Ajit Pai
Ajit Pai was the 32nd chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Pai was appointed by President Donald Trump (R) on January 23, 2017, to replace Tom Wheeler, who resigned from the position on January 20. The Senate voted to confirm Pai to a five-year term on October 2, 2017.[1][2] Pai resigned on January 20, 2021.[3]
The FCC "regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories," according to its official website.[4]
Biography
Pai grew up in Parsons, Kansas. He graduated from Harvard University in 1994 and from the University of Chicago Law School in 1997. While in law school, Pai was an editor of the University of Chicago Law Review.[5]
Career
Below is an abbreviated outline of Pai's academic, professional, and political career:[5]
- 2018-2021: Chair of the Federal Communications Commission
- 2012-2017: Commissioner of the FCC
- 2007-2011: Deputy general counsel, associate general counsel, and special advisor to the general counsel of the FCC
- 2005-2007: Chief counsel to Chairman Sam Brownback, U.S. Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Property Rights
- 2004 – 2005: Senior counsel, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Legal Policy
- 2003-2004: Deputy chief counsel to Chairman Jeff Sessions, U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Court
- 1998-2001: Trial attorney (Attorney General’s Honors Program), Antitrust Division, Telecommunications Task Force of the U.S. Department of Justice
- 1997: J.D., University of Chicago Law School
- 1994: Bachelor's degree, Harvard University
Confirmation vote
Senate vote
On October 2, 2017, the Senate voted 52 to 41 to confirm Pai for a five-year term as chair of the FCC. Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Claire McCaskill (Mo.), Gary Peters (Mich.), and Jon Tester (Mont.) joined Republicans in approving Pai's confirmation. No Republicans voted against confirming Pai. Seven senators did not vote.[1]
| Ajit Pai confirmation vote, October 2, 2017 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Votes for  |
Votes against  |
Total votes |
 Democrats |
4 | 40 | 44 |
 Republicans |
48 | 0 | 48 |
 Independents |
0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total Votes | 52 | 41 | 93 |
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Pai is married and has two children.[5]
See also
- Federal Communications Commission
- Federal policy on technology, privacy, and cybersecurity, 2017-2020
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 United States Senate, "Question: On the Nomination (Confirmation Ajit Varadaraj Pai, of Kansas, to be a Member of the F.C.C.)," October 2, 2017
- ↑ Federal Communications Commission, "Commissioners from 1934 to Present," accessed February 16, 2018
- ↑ CNBC, "FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will step down on Jan 20," November 30, 2020
- ↑ Federal Communications Commission, "What We Do," accessed February 18, 2018
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Federal Communications Commission, "Biography of Former Chairman Ajit Pai," accessed February 17, 2021
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Tom Wheeler |
Federal Communications Commission 2017-2021 |
Succeeded by NA |
| |||||||||||||||||||
