Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, TOP STORY—Senate Commerce Committee postpones vote on FTC nominee Terrell McSweeny, (Oct 3, 2013)

By Jeffrey May, J.D.

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation had been scheduled to meet today in Executive Session to vote on five nominations, including the nomination of Terrell McSweeny to serve as a commissioner at the FTC. The meeting was postponed, however.

Apparently, the decision to hold off on the vote is tied to the government shutdown. The committee did not provide a date for when the vote would take place.

The committee held a hearing on September 18, at which time McSweeny delivered prepared testimony. The questioning from committee members was cordial, and the nominee did not appear to be controversial. It is likely that the committee will clear McSweeny, who was nominated in June, for floor consideration when a vote is finally taken.

The other four nominees who were up for a vote were: Michael O’Rielly to be Commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission; Jo Handelsman to be Associate Director for Science, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President; Robert Simon to be Associate Director for Environment and Energy, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President; and Kathryn Sullivan to be Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, Department of Commerce, and Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. O’Rielly also gave testimony at the September 18 hearing, alongside McSweeny.

MainStory: TopStory Antitrust ConsumerProtection FederalTradeCommissionNews