Rosenworcel, Sohn: What They Want to Do At The FCC

Sohn and Rosenworcel

President Biden is moving to fill two openings at the Federal Communications Commission, nominating Jessica Rosenworcel as the commission's chair, and former FCC staffer Gigi Sohn to a second vacant seat.

Rosenworcel has been serving as the acting chair of the commission and has been on the panel since 2012. Sohn was counselor to former FCC chair Tom Wheeler. If confirmed by the Senate, she would become the first openly LGBTIQ+ commissioner. Rosenworcel is the first woman to chair the panel.

In a statement, the White House says Rosenworcel has "worked to promote greater opportunity, accessibility, and affordability in our communications services in order to ensure that all Americans get a fair shot at 21st century success."

Rosenworcel has also worked to combat illegal robocalls and "enhance consumer protections" in telecommunications policy.

NPR reports she and Sohn are expected to push for a return of Obama-era net neutrality rules, which would prohibit internet providers from slowing internet speeds or blocking content.

Democrats hope the nominations clear the Senate quickly, always a fraught prospect in the evenly divided chamber. The five-member commission is currently deadlocked, with two Republican and two Democratic commissioners. If the two nominations are not acted on by the end of the year when the current session of Congress ends, Rosenworcel's present term will expire, leaving the possibility of a GOP majority on the commission.

Senate Republicans are planning a strong fight against President Biden's nomination of consumer advocate Gigi Sohn. "I will do everything in my power to convince colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reject this extreme nominee," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) wrote in a Twitter thread this week.

Senate Minority Whip John Thune criticized Sohn, telling Politico that "she's going to be a heavy hand in regulation, very heavy in net neutrality." Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), the top Republican on the Commerce Committee that will evaluate the nomination, said that Sohn's nomination is "more problematic" than the re-nomination of Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and that Sohn's past statements and positions "could prove to be of concern to members of the committee."