U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) have sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Administrator Arielle Roth, seeking clarification on the delay in distributing nearly $1 billion in broadband grants intended for Native communities.
The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP), managed by NTIA, has left about $980 million in Round 2 funding unallocated since applications closed in March 2024. In addition, $294 million in grants announced in December 2024 remain undistributed. Some grant recipients have expressed concerns that NTIA might introduce new requirements or attempt to reclaim previously awarded funds.
In their letter, the senators wrote: “The TBCP is the first NTIA program to recognize Tribes’ sovereignty to determine broadband infrastructure needs on their own lands and is an effective tool for connecting Tribal homes and community facilities to reliable and affordable broadband. So, we are concerned that the agency is reportedly applying additional, unnecessary standards and requirements to applications, resulting in uncertainty that threatens the success of existing and planned projects.”
Since its inception, TBCP has provided $2.24 billion for 275 tribal projects nationwide. This includes around $100 million allocated to 19 projects in Washington State and $89 million for initiatives on Hawaiian Home Lands.
The TBCP is part of the Biden Administration’s Internet for All Initiative and totals nearly $3 billion. Funding comes from both the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 ($980 million) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law ($2 billion), which Senator Cantwell helped draft. The grants support broadband deployment on tribal lands as well as telehealth services, distance learning programs, affordability efforts, and digital inclusion.
Recent policy notices from NTIA outline restructuring efforts within federal broadband programs as well as waivers related to tribal consent deadlines. More information can be found at https://www.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/2025-06/bead-restructuring-policy-notice.pdf and https://broadbandusa.ntia.gov/sites/default/files/2025-08/Programmatic_Waiver_of_Tribal_Consent_Deadline.pdf.
Senators Schatz and Cantwell emphasized their commitment to ensuring all funds from both rounds of TBCP are distributed promptly: “We are committed to ensuring all TBCP Round 1 and Round 2 funds are timely awarded, obligated, and expended, and for the continuing success of the Program.”
They requested written responses from Secretary Lutnick and Assistant Secretary Roth regarding these delays and asked for a staff briefing within two weeks following their reply.
