Inequity is Not Inevitable: Save the Digital Equity Act

Inequity is not inevitable. It surfaces through rhetoric from leaders, personnel that mirror the values (or lack thereof) of said leaders, funding structures, policy implementation, and court decisions. In other words, inequity does not appear out of thin air. Inequity begins with an idea from someone’s imagination. It is only through power, resource allocation, and replication that an idea can take shape, gain traction, and impact lives. And it is only through an honest and accurate diagnosis of the problem that we can begin to dismantle the structures, ideas, and systems that perpetuate harm and uphold it, and replace them with systems that allow everyone to thrive. On May 8, 2025, President Trump announced on Truth Social that he intended to kill the Digital Equity Act. His administration followed through. The Department of Commerce terminated grants under the program, froze the remaining funds out of the $2.75 billion Congress had appropriated, and declared the statute itself unconstitutional. None of that is the president’s call to make. Congress passed the Digital Equity Act in 2021 as part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The executive branch cannot repeal a law via a social media post. A lawsuit is now pending, Congress can act, and there is still time to save the program.