Commissioner Geoffrey Starks to resign
Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said Tuesday that he will be resigning from his position at the regulatory agency.
“Today I sent a letter to the President and Leader Schumer indicating that I intend to resign my seat as a Commissioner this spring,” Starks said in a statement. “Serving the American people as a Commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission has been the honor of my life. With my extraordinary fellow Commissioners and the incredible career staff at the agency, we have worked hard to connect all Americans, promote innovation, protect consumers, and ensure national security.
“I have learned so much from my time in this position, particularly when I have heard directly from Americans on the issues that matter to them,” Starks continued. “I have been inspired by the passion, engagement and commitment I have seen from colleagues, advocates, and industry. Over the next few weeks, I look forward to working with the Chairman and my fellow Commissioners, and all FCC staff, to further the mission of the agency.”
Starks, a Democrat, had been reconfirmed to his FCC seat in 2023, for a term that was to end in 2027. The only other Democrat remaining on the FCC is Anna Gomez. President Donald Trump has nominated Olivia Trusty as a third Republican commissioner, along with Chair Brendan Carr and Commissioner Nathan Simington.
Starks “has had a tremendous run in public service. From senior leadership roles at the Department of Justice and in the Commission’s own Enforcement Bureau to serving as the Senior Democrat on the Federal Communications Commission, the American people have benefited greatly from Commissioner Starks’ public service,” said Carr in a statement. “Commissioner Starks led many of the FCC’s national security initiatives, and I welcomed the chance to work closely with him on important matters, including promoting new innovations, protecting consumers, and bringing families across the digital divide. Commissioner Starks put in the work and leaves an impressive legacy of accomplishments in public service. I always learned a lot from him and benefited from the many events we held together.”
Gomez released a statement saying, in part, that Starks’ “expertise on national security issues and his deep understanding of the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau have been instrumental in advancing the agency’s mission. Throughout his remarkable career in public service, Commissioner Starks has demonstrated unwavering commitment to protecting consumers and strengthening our communications networks. I wish him the very best in his future endeavors and look forward to our continued friendship.”
The Federal Communications Commission has two seats held by each party and a chairperson designated by the president, so that the agency is controlled by the party holding the presidency.
Louis Peraertz, VP of Policy for WISPA, praised Starks for his commitments to the success of the CBRS band and support of opening the 6 GHz band for unlicensed commercial use. “His work has provided new and evolving tools that are actively bridging the digital divide,” Peraertz said.
Speaking at last fall’s 6G Symposium in Washington, D.C., Starks said that the network evolution to 6G “presents opportunity on an enormous scale” in addition to “very real and complex challenges.”
