Kevin J. Martin, a Republican with pedigree ties to the Bush Administration, has been named the new chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, succeeding Michael Powell.

The appointment drew wide praise within the telecom industry. USTA President Walter B. McCormick said Martin's "insightful leadership and depth of experience" is what's needed at the FCC. "Commissioner Martin understands how dramatically global communications have changed and how crucial it is that we update U.S. policies to keep pace with modern advances in order to encourage market-based competition among companies investing in a wide array of technologies," McCormick said in a statement.

H. Russell Frisby, CEO of CompTel/ALTS, said Martin is known "as a thoughtful, fair and open-minded individual and has always been willing to listen to all perspectives of an issue to reach the right conclusion."

Matthew J. Flanigan, president of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), noted that Martin "aggressively pursued the Œlight hand' of regulation during his tenture" and has been "diligent in removing regulatory barriers to investment." Flanigan praised Martin for understanding how technology deployment "provides the foundation for economic growth in the 21st century."

Martin takes the helm of the FCC at a time when Congress is moving to rewrite telecom regulations that are nearly 10 years old and when state and federal officials have been clashing over the impact of new technologies such as Internet telephony and high-speed broadband.

Martin was appointed to the FCC in 2001. Since that time, he has followed a somewhat independent course that has seen him generally favor industry deregulation. Yet he sided with the two Democrats on the panel last year to approve telephone competition rules ‹ later overturned ‹ that would have ensured more land-line competition in the industry. Martin is also viewed as a hard-liner on indecency issues that provoked clashes between broadcasters and Powell.

Martin worked on President Bush's election campaign and his transition team.  His wife is a special assistant to the president on economic policy and formerly worked for Vice President Richard Cheney.

Martin doesn't need Senate confirmation since he already serves on the FCC.