Contact:
Adrianne B. Furniss, Executive Director
Benton Institute for Broadband & Society
847-328-3040
afurniss@benton.org

 

Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Gigi Sohn for commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission. When confirmed, Sohn will be one of five commissioners on the federal agency responsible for implementing and enforcing America’s communications law and regulations. Since 2018, Sohn has served as the Benton Senior Fellow and Public Advocate. The following statement may be attributed to Benton Institute for Broadband & Society Executive Director Adrianne B. Furniss:

“In nominating Gigi Sohn to the Federal Communications Commission, the President has made a wise choice for America’s broadband future. Sohn has long been at the forefront of helping advance pragmatic policies that help improve the lives of everyday Americans. She’s not only a broadband and telecommunications policy expert, but is expert at mastering complex policy issues, bringing disparate voices together to find common purpose, and pursuing the public interest.  We are excited that such a smart, committed, and capable leader will help guide the nation's communications future at such a pivotal time in history.   

“Gigi is a leader that listens. I’ve seen firsthand how effective she is as a leader who identifies, organizes, and partners with public interest groups; philanthropy; bipartisan federal, state, and local representatives; academics; and companies large and small. In short, she does the hard work of finding consensus and articulating pragmatic solutions. She has demonstrated again and again the ability to communicate what is at stake in ways that ordinary people can understand. She has continually sought to raise public awareness and understanding of the issues at hand.

“During her career spanning 30 years, Gigi has promoted innovation and investment in broadband services and facilities, supported the nation's economy by ensuring an appropriate competitive framework for the unfolding communications revolution, and helped strengthen the defense of the nation's communications infrastructure.

“Broadband is the infrastructure of opportunity and strong communities. No area of America should have second-rate broadband (or worse, no access at all). At the FCC, Gigi Sohn will boost our national effort to ensure that all people in our nation can access and use high-performance broadband networks.

"I look forward to her swift confirmation.”

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people in the U.S. have access to competitive, High-Performance Broadband regardless of where they live or who they are. We believe communication policy - rooted in the values of access, equity, and diversity - has the power to deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities.

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