Plan for Orderly Shutdown Due to Lapse of Congressional Appropriations

The Department of Commerce immediately suspended regular agency operations. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will continue to perform critical activities during a lapse in appropriations: 1) managing the federal use of spectrum; and 2) promoting the stability and security of the Internet’s domain name system. During a lapse in appropriations, NTIA requires continuous and frequent engagement with defense and emergency management agencies to execute its role as the manager of federal spectrum.  NTIA’s operations also support the national economic stability through oversight of Executive Branch initiatives that directly impact the domestic and global Internet economy and the nation’s education, business, and financial sectors. In addition to these critical responsibilities, some NTIA programs are financed by resources other than current year annual appropriations. These funding sources allow NTIA to: 1) perform cutting-edge telecommunications research and engineering with both Federal government and private sector partners; 2) build and operate a nation-wide public safety broadband network, as well as support state and local governments to plan for their participation in the network; 3) implement grant programs; and 4) conduct spectrum studies activities as identified in H.R. 1 Act, 2025. Broadband programs that are financed by resources other than current year annual appropriations will be continued. These programs include the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program, the Digital Equity Act Tribal program, the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Grant program, the Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP), and the Connecting Minority Communities (CMC) program.