Senate Broadband Stimulus Oversight Hearing

A Senate Appropriations subcommittee held an oversight hearing Thursday (Jan 28) of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's $4.7 broadband stimulus project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. During the sparsely attended hourlong hearing, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and Assistant Secretary Larry Strickling defended the NTIA's management of the program.

Ranking member Richard Shelby (R-AL) sharply criticized the Department of Commerce's management of the program, which he says is a "poster child" for wasteful spending under the Obama administration. He noted that the NTIA now has more funding than the three law enforcement agencies under the subcommittee's jurisdiction combined: the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

"Apparently this administration cares more about our nation's ability to update their Facebook status than fighting crime," he said.