San Francisco resident Rachelle Chong was finally confirmed by a 33-0 vote of the state Senate on Jan. 11 as a commissioner on the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). A week before, Chong withstood nearly two and a half hours of grilling and public comment before the Senate Rules Committee, chaired by California Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland).
Chong's seat lasts two more years as she fills out the remainder of the term of Susan Kennedy, a democrat who was selected by Schwarzenegger to be his chief of staff. The five members of the CPUC are appointed to six-year terms and oversee a budget of about $1.2 billion and over 830 employees.
Chong, 47, a fourth-generation Chinese American, is a Stockton native and telecommunications attorney with two decades of experience. She became the first Asian American commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission in 1994, when President Bill Clinton tapped her to fill a vacant republican seat, and served two terms. (Source: Julie D. Soo, AsianWeek, Jan 19, 2007