Statement from U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick on the BEAD Program

In 2021, Congress created the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program to expand Americans’ access to high-speed internet. 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. 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. 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. Additionally, the Department is exploring ways to cut government red tape that slows down infrastructure construction. We will work with states and territories to quickly get rid of the delays and the waste. Thereafter we will move quickly to implementation in order to get households connected. 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.