The term of FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate, a Republican from Tennessee, came to an end on January 3 as the 111th Congress convened for the first time. Originally selected by President Bush to fill the unexpired term of then-Chairman Michael Powell, Tate joined the Commission in 2005. In June 2007, Bush announced his intention to nominate Tate to a full five year term, but when the Senate failed to confirm her nomination by the close of the 110th Congress, Tate's tenure as a Commissioner came to a close.

"My term as a commissioner is at an end," Tate said, "and I would like to express what a great privilege and honor it has been to serve our country and the Federal Communications Commission over the past three years. I am grateful to President Bush for his appointment and for his confidence in my ability to make important decisions on behalf of the American people."

Tate said that she plans on advocating for children and families both in this country and abroad. She said she will also dedicate herself "to protecting our stories and storytellers, and to opposing the economic and moral harm of piracy." She also plans on launching a formal mediation practice "that will utilize the skills I have practiced daily at the Commission to develop resolution, consensus and collaboration in the communications sector and beyond."

Chairman Kevin Martin thanked Tate for her service to the Commission, saying her "good nature and distinct personality" will be missed. "Based on her experience as an effective state commissioner," Martin said, "Commissioner Tate demonstrated strong leadership during her tenure as Chair of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, and the Federal-State Joint Board on Jurisdictional Separations. As Chair, she led the effort to address [these two] critical components of the telecommunications framework set forth by Congress. Commissioner Tate embraced the difficult task of trying to reach consensus between federal and state members on these very technical and complex issues."

Tate thanked the Commission's professional staff, calling them "the finest, most honorable group of civil servants in our government. They are viewed as the 'gold standard' by our international colleagues and I appreciate their dedication, integrity and commitment. All Americans should be proud of their work."