Julius Genachowski is closer to heading the Federal Communications Commission following approval Wednesday by the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee. Robert McDowell, currently the lone Republican FCC commissioner, also was approved for a second term. Both nominations now go to the full Senate for a vote; no sense of timing yet. (The lone dissenter in the 24-1 vote was Jim DeMint, a Republican from South Carolina.) The two testified earlier this week, with Genachowski echoing President Obama’s communications concerns by saying he would focus on the national broadband infrastructure and consumer issues.

He also embraced the First Amendment, but said he saw no reason to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine. More details from Reuters. Here’s a C-SPAN video clip from the hearing; the full hearing replay can be seen here: