Media Contact: 
Tina Pelkey, (202) 418-0536
tina.pelkey@fcc.gov
For Immediate Release
CHAIRMAN PAI STATEMENT ON THE DEATH OF 
FORMER SENATOR PETE DOMENICI
WASHINGTON, September 13, 2017 – Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai 
issued the following statement today on the death of former U.S. Senator Pete Domenici of New 
Mexico:
“I was saddened to learn of the death of Senator Pete Domenici.  Senator Domenici left a lasting 
impact in so many areas of public policy and law.  For example, as a key Senate Budget 
Committee expert, he saw the potential of spectrum auctions and helped engineer the compromise 
in the Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, which gave the FCC the authority to conduct such 
auctions.  As Budget Committee Chairman in 1997, he drafted and shepherded the Balanced 
Budget Act, which greatly expanded the auctions program.  Thereafter, he actively supported the 
Commission's work in this area.  All this makes Senator Domenici's legacy in communications 
policy a rich one: he helped pave the way for the mobile revolution that continues to this day and 
enabled the FCC to deliver substantial funds to the Treasury for deficit reduction and other 
purposes.  And not least, he was a kind and decent man, as I learned firsthand during my time as a 
Senate staffer.
“I would like to extend my sympathies to Senator Domenici’s family, and in particular, his 
daughter Helen, whom I had the privilege to work with when she served as Chief of the FCC’s 
International Bureau.”
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Office of Chairman Ajit Pai: (202) 418-2000
Twitter: @AjitPaiFCC
www.fcc.gov/leadership/ajit-pai
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes 
official action.  See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).