[President Bush has named Kevin Martin to be the new Chairmn of the FCC replacing the departing Chairman, Michael Powell.]

Washington, DC -- Commissioner Kevin J. Martin made the following statement today:

"I am deeply honored to have been designated as the next Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, and I thank President Bush for this distinct privilege.

I look forward to working with the Administration, Congress, my colleagues, and the FCC's talented staff to ensure that American consumers continue to enjoy the benefits of the best communications system in the world.

I thank Chairman Powell for his excellent stewardship of this agency, and I look forward to continuing his efforts in bringing the communications industry into the 21st Century."

Biography of FCC Commissioner Kevin J. Martin

Kevin J. Martin was nominated to be a member of the Federal Communications Commission by President George W. Bush on April 30, 2001, and was sworn in on July 3, 2001. Mr. Martin serves a five-year term expiring in June 2006. In addition to his duties as Commissioner, Mr. Martin also serves as the Chair of both the Federal-State Joint Board on Separations and the Federal-State Joint Conference on Advanced Telecommunications Services, as well as a member of the Federal-State Joint board on Universal Service.

Mr. Martin joins the Commission from the White House, where he served as a Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and was on the staff of the National Economic Council. In that capacity, he focused primarily on commerce and technology policy issues. He also served as the official U.S. government representative to the G-8's Digital Opportunity Task Force, a government, non-profit, and private sector task force created to identify ways in which the digital revolution can assure opportunities for developing countries.

Prior to joining the Bush Administration, Mr. Martin served as a principle technology and telecommunications advisor on the Bush-Cheney Transition team. He assumed this role after serving as the Deputy General Counsel to the Bush campaign in Austin, Texas from July 1999 through December 2000.

Mr. Martin is not new to the Federal Communications Commission. From 1997 to 1999, he served as a Legal Advisor to FCC Commissioner Harold Furchtgott-Roth, advising the Commissioner on telecommunications and broadband issues. Mr. Martin had previously served in the Office of the Independent Counsel following several years of work in private practice at the Washington, DC law firm of Wiley, Rein & Fielding. While at Wiley, Rein & Fielding, he worked on communications, legislative, and appellate litigation matters. Before joining Wiley, Rein & Fielding, Martin was a law clerk for United States Court District Judge William M. Hoeveler in Miami, Florida.

Mr. Martin received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with Honors and Distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While at Chapel Hill, Mr. Martin was elected Student Body President and President of the North Carolina Association of Student Governments. In addition, he also served on the University of North Carolina Board of Trustees. Mr. Martin received a Masters in Public Policy from Duke University and a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School. Mr. Martin is a member of the Florida Bar, District of Columbia Bar, and the Federal Communications Bar Association.

Mr. Martin was born in Charlotte, North Carolina and currently resides in Washington, DC with his wife, Catherine Jurgensmeyer Martin.

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