Michael Gallagher Nominated To U.S. Telecom Post

Michael Gallagher, a key administration player in recent interagency debates over spectrum allocation, has been nominated by the White House to be assistant commerce secretary for communications and information.

If confirmed by the Senate, Gallagher would also serve as administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which oversees U.S. spectrum policy along with the Federal Communications Commission.

Gallagher previously served as deputy assistant secretary for NTIA and deputy chief of staff and policy counselor to Commerce Secretary Donald Evans. "Mike's vast experience in telecommunications policy will serve the department well and I look forward to working with him on such critical issues as the deployment of broadband and management of our nation's airwaves," Evans said in a statement Friday.

The Commerce Department recently revamped its technology agency to reflect the shift to a global economy. NTIA was pulled into the new technology agency in a move that was seen by observers as a way to strengthen the Commerce Department's hand in spectrum debates. The agency has been trying to free more government spectrum for commercial use, especially for advanced wireless services.