Trump Team Talks Up Sen Heitkamp as Agriculture Secretary Speculation Grows

The president-elect is scheduled to huddle with Sen Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), a member of the Senate Broadband Caucus and a "clean coal" technology advocate, as part of Dec 2's round of transition meetings. There is speculation that Sen Heitkamp could lead the Agriculture Department.

While in Congress, Sen Heitkamp has been a proponent for rural broadband, promoting infrastructure to support high-speed Internet connections on North Dakota's Indian reservations and small towns across the state. In October, she was one of five senators who urged the Federal Communications Commission to consider how its business data services rules could deter investment from emerging providers, especially in rural areas. It's unclear whether the Heitkamp meeting pertains to a potential position in the administration, though news of the expected sit-down fueled rumors that she could be under consideration for a role at either the Energy or Interior departments or at the USDA.