Tom Wheeler, President Obama's nominee to lead the Federal Communications Commission and an mHealth advocate, has been approved by the Senate Commerce Committee, according to a Reuters report.
Mr. Wheeler is an emeritus member of the UN Foundation's mHealth Alliance Partnership Board, and is seen as a strong supporter of expanding the role of mobile technology in healthcare.
"[Mr. Wheeler] has for years been an innovator and thought leader in the telecommunications and wireless space," Patricia Mechael, the executive director of mHealth Alliance, said in a statement issued upon Mr. Wheeler's nomination. "We know that, in this role, he will make a substantive contribution to driving global progress through the use of telecommunications."
His confirmation is expected to be taken up after Congress' August recess, but may be delayed by GOP members until President Obama appoints a Republican commissioner for the last open spot in the five-person agency, according to Reuters.
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