The U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, has announced a comprehensive review of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. The initiative was originally established by Congress in 2021 to enhance access to high-speed internet across the United States. However, Lutnick criticized the previous administration's approach to the program.
"In 2021, Congress created the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program to expand Americans’ access to high-speed internet," stated Lutnick. He further expressed concerns about the lack of progress made under prior mandates: "But, years later, because of the prior Administration’s woke mandates, favoritism towards certain technologies, and burdensome regulations, the program has not connected a single person to the internet and is in dire need of a readjustment."
Lutnick outlined plans for a rigorous review aimed at removing what he described as unnecessary requirements imposed by the Biden Administration. "Under my leadership, the Commerce Department has launched a rigorous review of the BEAD program. The Department is ripping out the Biden Administration’s pointless requirements," he said.
The new direction for BEAD will adopt a technology-neutral approach focused on outcomes. This shift aims to help states provide internet access at minimal costs while reducing bureaucratic hurdles that delay infrastructure projects. "It is revamping the BEAD program to take a tech-neutral approach that is rigorously driven by outcomes so states can provide internet access for the lowest cost," Lutnick explained.
He also emphasized collaboration with state governments to expedite implementation and reduce inefficiencies: "We will work with states and territories to quickly get rid of delays and waste."
The goal remains clear: deliver high-speed internet efficiently without burdening taxpayers. "Under the revamped BEAD program, all Americans will receive the benefit of the bargain that Congress intended. We’re going to deliver high-speed internet access, and we will do it efficiently and effectively at the lowest cost to taxpayers," Lutnick concluded.
