Rep Matsui and Colleagues Slam Revised Guidance for BEAD Program

Rep Doris Matsui (D-CA-07) led a group of 22 lawmakers in a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, expressing deep concerns regarding the recent restructuring of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program. The lawmakers assert that, with the BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice, Secretary Lutnick has mischaracterized the program for political purposes and disregarded congressional intent. They wrote, "The BEAD Program you inherited on January 20, 2025, was on track to get shovels in the ground months ago to deliver reliable, high-speed internet to communities on the wrong side of the digital divide. Nothing about the BRPN simplifies the BEAD Program for state broadband offices or providers, and the changes you insist upon will only lead to indefinite delays and worse internet service for Americans."