WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet, and Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, issued the following statement on Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler’s announcement that he will leave the commission on January 20, 2017.

“I commend Chairman Wheeler for his service and for following the tradition of stepping down in advance of a new administration,” said Wicker. “I look forward to working with President-elect Trump to appoint and confirm well-qualified nominees to the Commission who are committed to acting within the statutes and avoiding regulatory overreach.”

“I wish Chairman Wheeler well in his future endeavors,” said Thune. “No one who worked with him can doubt his tenacity and passion for telecommunications policy. His public departure announcement follows longstanding precedent and helps the incoming administration transition the FCC to reflect the outcome of the November election.”