Charles D. Ferris
Charles Ferris | |
|---|---|
| Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission | |
| In office October 17, 1977 – February 4, 1981 | |
| President | Jimmy Carter Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Richard E. Wiley |
| Succeeded by | Robert E. Lee |
| Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission | |
| In office October 17, 1977 – April 10, 1981 | |
| President | Jimmy Carter Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Richard E. Wiley |
| Succeeded by | James H. Quello |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Charles Daniel Ferris April 9, 1933 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | February 16, 2024 (aged 90) |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Patricia C. Brennan |
| Education | Boston College (AB, JD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1955–1960 |
| Rank | Lieutenant (junior grade) |
| Unit | USS Brinkley Bass |
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Charles Daniel Ferris (April 9, 1933 – February 16, 2024) was an American lawyer and government official. A longtime staffer for Majority Leader Mike Mansfield on the Senate Democratic Policy Committee, he played a key role in the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965, and Lyndon Johnson's Great Society legislation.
Following Mansfield's retirement, Ferris briefly worked for House Speaker Tip O'Neill before being nominated by President Jimmy Carter to chair the Federal Communications Commission in 1977. He would serve for the remainder of Carter's term. During his tenure, the agency initiated a program of nationwide telecommunications deregulation, which was later continued during the Reagan administration.