The following is from Reuters, about one hour ago.

Dave

 * Senate Commerce Committee approves FCC nominee

 * Genachowski nomination next goes to full Senate

 * Second term for FCC's McDowell also approved

 (Adds vote tally, background)

 WASHINGTON, June 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Commerce

Committee voted on Thursday to approve overwhelmingly the Obama

administration's nomination of Julius Genachowski to chair the

Federal Communications Commission.

 The full Senate will next consider the nomination of

Genachowski, a law school friend of President Barack Obama and

technology industry executive.

 The committee approved Genachowski 24-1, with Republican

Jim DeMint the lone vote in opposition. The committee also

unanimously approved a second FCC term for Commissioner Robert

McDowell.

 Earlier this week, Genachowski told the Senate committee

that he would focus on national broadband service and consumer

issues, if confirmed for the FCC job. The FCC will help oversee

billions of dollars in economic stimulus money that Congress

allocated in incentives for states and private companies to

expand high-speed Internet in rural and underserved areas.

 As an adviser and fundraiser during the presidential

campaign, Genachowski headed a tech policy group and guided

Obama's use of social networking on the Internet to reach out

to voters.

 In the private sector, Genachowski held various positions

at Barry Diller's IAC/InterActiveCorp (IACI.O) and co-founded

technology investment firm Rock Creek Ventures. He also served

on the boards or as advisers to Ticketmaster (TKTM.O), Web.com

(WWWW.O), The Motley Fool, Beliefnet, Truveo, and Rapt.