THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

             PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES SUSAN NESS AS A MEMBER 
                OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

The President today announced his intent to nominate Susan Ness as a Member of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Ms. Susan Ness, of Bethesda, Maryland has served as a Member of the FCC since 1994 and has been its senior Commissioner since November 1997. She has served throughout the FCC's implementation of the landmark Telecommunications Act of 1996 and currently chairs the Federal-State Joint Board charged with addressing universal telephone service issues. Additionally, she was the FCC's lead representative at the 1995 and 1997 World Radiocommunication Conference in Geneva, Switzerland. Prior to her FCC appointment Ms. Ness was a Senior Lender and later, Group Head, in the Communications Industries Division of American Security Bank from 1983 to 1992. From 1977 to 1982, Ms. Ness was a consultant in the areas of consumer credit and government relations in Washington, D.C. From 1978 to 1981 she was the Founder and Director, of the Judicial Appointments Project for the National Women's Political Caucus. Ms. Ness served as Assistant Counsel to the Committee on Banking, Currency, and Housing, U.S. House of Representatives from 1975 to 1977.

Currently, Ms. Ness is a member of the District of Columbia Bar, Federal Communications Bar Association, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners Committee on Communications, and Leadership Washington. Ms. Ness received her B.A. degree from Douglass College, her J.D. cum laude, from Boston College Law School and her M.B.A. from the Wharton School.

The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency established by Congress to oversee interstate and international communications including wireline, broadcast, cable, satellite and cellular services.

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