MATSUI AND COLLEAGUES SLAM REVISED GUIDANCE FOR BROADBAND, EQUITY, ACCESS, AND DEPLOYMENT PROGRAM
WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, led a group of 22 lawmakers in a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) Secretary Howard Lutnick, expressing deep concerns regarding the recent restructuring of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program.
The BEAD Program provides $42.45 billion to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment, and adoption programs in all 50 states. Over 40 states and territories, including California, had partially or fully completed the process of selecting projects for deployment. But last month, DOC released new guidelines through their BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice (BPRN) that threatens to derail progress. The notice would force states to reopen the application process and rescind preliminary and provisional awards—substantially delaying efforts to get shovels in the ground and broadband to the communities that need it most.
“Despite your stated goals of removing burdensome requirements from the BEAD Program and ensuring American taxpayers receive the ‘benefit of the bargain,’ the BRPN actually further complicates and delays the program for all stakeholders, violating congressional intent” wrote the lawmakers. “Worst of all, American families and businesses will be left with inferior connectivity.”
The new guidelines impose burdensome scoring requirements that would hamstring states’ flexibility to choose the most effective mix of technologies to deliver reliable, scalable, and future-proof internet service. On top of that, the Trump administration’s changes would gut key safeguards—slashing protections for affordability, good-paying jobs, climate-resilient infrastructure, and a free and open internet. These changes will drive up costs for consumers while driving down the quality of service.
“The BEAD Program you inherited on January 20, 2025, was on track to get shovels in the ground months ago to deliver reliable, high-speed internet to communities on the wrong side of the digital divide. Nothing about the BRPN simplifies the BEAD Program for state broadband offices or providers, and the changes you insist upon will only lead to indefinite delays and worse internet service for Americans,” the lawmakers continued.
The full letter is available HERE.
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