On Wednesday, April 29, President Barack Obama announced his intention to nominate Mignon L. Clyburn of South Carolina as an FCC Commissioner. If her nomination is approved by Congress, Clyburn will fill the seat of Democrat Jonathan Adelstein. Adelstein is leaving the FCC to head up the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS).

Clyburn, the daughter of House Majority Whip Representative James Clyburn (D-SC), has served on the Public Service Commission of South Carolina since 1998. The Public Service Commission regulates South Carolina's investor owned public utilities, including providers of telecommunications services. Before her election to that body, she spent 14 years as the publisher and general manager of The Coastal Times, a weekly newspaper in Charleston, South Carolina.

In 1998, Clyburn was elected by the South Carolina General Assembly as a Commissioner to represent the Sixth Congressional District; she has been re-elected three times, chairing the Commission from 2002-2004. She is a past chair of the Southeastern Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, and is presently the chair of the Washington Action Committee of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). Clyburn also serves on NARUC's Audit Committee and Utilities Market Access Partnership Board.

Calling Clyburn a "fine public servant," Obama said Clyburn was "a welcome addition to my team as we work to put America on a path towards prosperity and keep our nation safe. I am honored [Clyburn] will be joining my administration and look forward to working with [her] in the months and years ahead."

Acting FCC Chairman Michael Copps congratulated Clyburn, saying, "She is an excellent choice, and the experience she brings from her service on South Carolina's Public Service Commission will be an invaluable asset as we address the many challenges and opportunities that are before us. I wish her a successful Senate confirmation and look forward to working with her over the coming months and years in serving consumers and the public interest."

Clyburn graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science degree in Banking, Finance & Economics in 1984.