BEAD: Who Controls Non-Deployment Funds?

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program deployment effort is coming in far under budget. Now, a political battle could evolve over who controls the remaining BEAD funds. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick suggesting that states keep the excess funds and spend them on state-led AI-related programs. “As the first state to submit our Final Proposal ahead of the September 4th deadline, we respectfully request that you continue to hew closely to the statute by directing that remaining BEAD allocations be invested in state-led initiatives, subject to NTIA review, that advance the following key national priorities.” Analyst Blair Levin says NewStreet Research expects that most governors will support Governor Landry’s general position, though not the specific limits he suggests. In other words, they likely will want to keep the money within their state without being told precisely what to do with it.