Heitkamp PAC launches campaign to block Biden FCC nominee

FARGO (KVRR) – A political action committee led by former Democratic U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp has started a campaign to block the confirmation of President Biden’s nominee for the Federal Communications Commission.

Heitkamp, who founded the One Country Project, says FCC nominee Gigi Sohn is “the wrong pick for rural America.”

“Given the significant progress that has been made in closing the rural digital divide in recent years, and all the important work that remains to fully close the gap, Gigi Sohn’s deeply cynical view of rural broadband is far less than what rural Americans need or deserve” Heitkamp said.  “She is the wrong choice for FCC Commissioner and rural America when critical issues like rural broadband will be under her jurisdiction.”

One Country says Sohn made several public comments that call into question her commitment to rural communities, such as her testimony to the House Energy & Commerce Committee where she stated “policymakers have focused disproportionately on broadband deployment in rural areas of the United States.”

According to the PAC, more than 30 million Americans do not have access to broadband infrastructure that delivers even minimally sufficient speeds.

Over the coming weeks, Heitkamp says an ad campaign will be launched in six states.