Rep Troy Carter (D-LA)

In January of this year, Louisiana became the first state in the nation to secure federal approval for our plan to deploy over $1.3 billion in BEAD funding. This achievement is a testament to the bipartisan nature of Louisiana’s approach to universal connectivity and illustrates how we should all strive to treat broadband access in our states. The state began the BEAD application process under Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards.

On August 25, 2025, a group of 10 House Democrats, led by Rep April McClain Delaney (D-MD), wrote to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and National Telecommunications and Information Administration administrator Arielle Roth  regarding Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program non-deployment funds. Specifically, the lawmakers requested formal clarification as to how States can use leftover BEAD funding for non-deployment activities.