Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) Tuesday called it "unforgivable" that Jonathan
Adelstein's nomination to the open commissioner seat on the Federal
Communications Commission continues to languish on the Senate floor. He pledged
to bring up the issue on the floor in the next several days.
Dorgan used the opportunity of a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on
broadband deployment to say that he believes the FCC needs a "full complement of
commissioners" to deal with the important decisions before it, and to point out
that Adelstein, an aide to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), would
be a voice for the rural community, which he feels is being shortchanged in the
broadband rollout.
At his confirmation hearing, Adelstein pledged that one of his priorities
will be making sure the FCC provides all Americans -- especially in rural areas
such as his home state of South Dakota -- access to a full range of communications
services.
