Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II was given the honor of introducing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Nominee Geoffrey Starks at the Senate Commerce Committee Nomination Hearing recently in Washington, D.C. Geoffrey Stark is a Kansas City native and is currently one of the assistant bureau chiefs at the FCC.

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government created by statute to regulate interstate communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the media, public safety and homeland security, and modernizing itself.
Below are Congressman Cleaver’s introduction remarks;

“Thank you to the chair and the ranking member for allowing me to introduce a very special individual this morning. Today, I’m here to introduce Mr. Geoffrey Starks, a Kansas City native and current nominee to the Federal Communications Commission. Mr. Starks, as I just mentioned, was born and raised in, Kansas City and actually participated in Bible School for several summers at the church which I used to preside over, St. James United Methodist Church. Like most folks from Kansas City, Mr. Starks is a die-hard fan of the Royals and Chiefs, and was even a witness to one of the greatest events in American history—the Royals winning the World Series in 2015.

But I’m here to talk about his qualifications to be a commissioner of the FCC, so let’s get to that. Following his graduation from Rockhurst High School, a prestigious school in Kansas City, Mr. Starks attended Harvard University for his undergraduate degree, and then continued his education with a JD from Yale Law School. Upon completion of his law degree, Mr. Starks returned home to Kansas City to clerk for Judge Duane Benton of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. Eventually, Mr. Starks made his way to the FCC and worked his way up to Enforcement Bureau Assistant Chief, a prominent position within the agency. And now he is ready to take the next step, and join the FCC as a commissioner.

Throughout his life, Mr. Starks has been and will continue to be a dedicated public servant. He has a passion for justice, as seen in his experience practicing law, but also in his dedication to enhance gender and racial inclusion within the tech industry. His commitment to expand access to broadband throughout the country and to close the digital divide between the haves and the have-nots will surely be a welcomed sight to American consumers across the nation. When looking at the qualities required for this position, I cannot think of an individual more qualified or prepared. I look forward to working with Mr. Starks as the next commissioner of the FCC.”

Mr. Starks will fill the democratic seat vacated by former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn. His appointment will require approval from the Senate.

Share