Robert McDowell

Country:	USA

Robert McDowell is a Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). He started serving the FCC as a Commissioner since 2006 when former President George W. Bush appointed him. He was re-appointed by President Barack Obama and the Senate unanimously confirmed his appointment in 2009. As Commissioner, his priority is ensure competition and innovation within the communications sectors and companies provide more choices and lower prices for consumers. He is involved in the development and implementation of policies and regulation for the internet, radio and television industry. His term as Commissioner will expire in 2014.

Personal Life

Commissioner McDowell's parents were the late Hobart McDowell, Jr., an author and senior editor of the National Geographic and late Martha Louise Shea McDowell, a public relations executive of the Washington Post. He lives in the same farm where he grew up in Fairfax County, Virginia with his wife Jennifer and their three children.

Education

He received his BA from Duke University and his JD from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary.

Career History

McDowell started his career as chief legislative assistant of Virginia House of Delegates Robert T. Andrews after graduating college from Duke University. In 1990, he joined the Washington offices of Arter & Hadden, a Cleveland-based law firm after receiving his degree in law. He left the law firm after three and became Senior Vice-president and General Counsel the of America's Carriers Telecommunications Association (ACTA), a communications service trade organization. He served as vice president of Competitive Telecommunications Association (CompTel) when ACTA merged with the company in 1999. As vice president of the company, he strongly advocated and lobbied the different telecommunication issues to the Congress and FCC. In 2006, President Bush appointed him as FCC Commissioner and re-appointed by Pres. Obama in 2009. One of his primary duties as FCC Commissioner under the Obama administration is to expand the broadband service in the United States that has limited or no service.

Stand on Internet Issues

Internet Governance

On February 2012, Commissioner McDowell published a statement condemning the proposal of Russia, China its allies create an "international control" over the internet through the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). He strongly pointed out that the existing multistakeholder governance model, which is a consensus-driven private-sector approach has been the key to the phenomenal success of the internet. According to him, an intergovernmental control over the internet will prevent innovation, growth, national sovereignty and global free trade and expansion of cross border technology. He encouraged all advocates of internet freedom and prosperity in countries worldwide to engage in a more effective strategy-a dialogue with all interested parties including governments and the ITU. The goal is to "broaden the multi-stakeholder umbrella with the goal of reaching consensus to address reasonable concerns." He also reminded the U.S. government to act and select a representative to the treaty negotiation.

Net Neutrality Regulation

On December 2010, the FCC approved the net neutrality regulations that would prohibit high-speed internet service providers to block customer access to legal content, applications or services. The regulation also requires internet companies to provide more information to consumers regarding their network operations. According to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, the rules “ensure that the Internet remains a powerful platform for innovation and job creation, to empower consumers and entrepreneurs, and protect free expression.” However, Commissioner McDowell voted against it and he enumerated four reasons to support his position, which include:

• Nothing is broken in the Internet access market that needs fixing.
• The FCC does not have the legal authority to issue net neutrality rules.
• The rules are likely to cause irreparable harm.
• Existing law and Internet governance structures provide ample consumer protection in the event a systemic market failure occurs.

International Telecommunication Union