Sen. Wicker Outlines Broadband Focus

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), the new ranking member of the Senate Communications Subcommittee, suggested that he would be focused on broadband deployment and the innovation and job creation it brings, which puts him on the same page as the Federal Communications Commission.

"As ranking member, I look forward to examining the current state of the communications and technology sectors to ensure quality broadband access to all corners of America, particularly in rural areas like my home state of Mississippi," he said in statement following his being named to the ranking post. He replaces Sen Jim DeMint (R-SC), who announced in December he was resigning to head conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation. Wicker's statement was all about broadband. "As our economy recovers, the telecommunications, media, and technology industries offer lessons for job creation and growth. Broadband access is necessary for economic development for the 21st-century workforce. We need the continued growth and innovation that increased broadband access provides."