US Senators confirmed Jessica Rosenworcel (pictured) as permanent chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) by a majority vote, leaving the regulator with two Democrat and two Republican members.

Rosenworcel took on the role of acting chair following the departure of predecessor Ajit Pai in January and is the first woman to lead the FCC.

In a tweet, she described the post as “the honour of my lifetime” and noted there is “work to do to make sure modern communications reach everyone, everywhere”.

During her nine years as an FCC commissioner, Rosenworcel emerged as a strong advocate for government subsidies for access to broadband, including mobile broadband.

Democratic Senator Edward Markey, who sits on a committee exploring broadband and communications, released a statement praising Rosenworcel’s stance on net neutrality.

While President Joe Biden issued an order urging the FCC to reinstate net neutrality, the regulator is unlikely to tackle the subject until a fifth member is appointed.

The president nominated attorney Gigi Sohn to the seat, though there are reports of dissent among politicians regarding her appointment.