Sen Thune Leads Colleagues in Requesting the Removal of Extraneous Biden-Era Regulations on Broadband Program

Sen John Thune (R-SD) led his colleagues in sending a letter to Howard Lutnick, secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, requesting the removal of extraneous regulations as Secretary Lutnick conducts his review of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, which is aimed at expanding internet access to Americans in rural areas and other unserved communities. The senators wrote, "We write to thank you for committing to a rigorous review of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. As you may be aware, Republican senators have previously raised concerns with the Biden administration’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration and its implementation of the BEAD program. Specifically, NTIA ignored congressional direction and acted inconsistently with its statutory authority in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, filling the program with onerous regulations that prevented the quick, efficient deployment of broadband and resulted in not a single household being connected to the internet. Therefore, we urge you to remove the Biden-era extraneous regulations as you review the BEAD program to ensure the responsible and effective use of taxpayer dollars."