Democratic Sen. John Rockefeller of West Virginia has sidetracked the Senate from voting on the nomination of Robert McDowell as an FCC commissioner.
Reuters cite two sources close to the issue saying that Rockefeller placed a "hold" on the vote, something any senator can do for any reason. While a spokesman for Rockefeller declined to confirm or deny that, he told the newswire the senator has concerns about proper accounting for the FCC's Universal Service Fund, which subsidizes telephone service for low-income and rural areas.
The Universal Service Administrative Co. that runs the fund has frozen hundreds of millions of dollars after discovering the fund did not comply with some government accounting rules.
Congress is investigating the issue. Rockefeller wants written confirmation that the problem is fixed, Reuters quotes his spokesman as saying.
The Senate Commerce Committee recently approved McDowell's nomination and is waiting for it to be placed on the Senate voting calendar.