Shaheen, Collins Urge Department of Commerce to Immediately Release Funding Guidance to Help Communities Take Advantage of Broadband Expansion

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME) are calling on the U.S. Department of Commerce to immediately issue guidance regarding the use of Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program funds for non-deployment activities so that communities can get funding out the door to eligible projects. In a bipartisan letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Arielle Roth, the Senators note that without guidance, up to $21 billion in funding intended to support the adoption of new broadband infrastructure is in limbo across the country. The letter is cosigned by Senators Angus King (I-ME), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Mark Warner (D-VA). The Senators wrote, in part: “As you know, approximately $21 billion in BEAD funding remains following the approval of state proposals for broadband deployment [...] Closing the digital divide requires not only broadband infrastructure investments, but also complementary efforts to support adoption and other activities that maximize the value of those investments. States have dedicated significant time and resources developing their BEAD plans and are eager to use their full awarded allocations to connect every American with broadband service.” They continued: “ NTIA approved all 56 BEAD Final Proposals by the end of last month. In early September, NTIA announced an additional round of funding to address locations that remain unserved. This is a worthy goal but one that can advance with a parallel effort providing non-deployment funding supporting the long-term success of broadband investments. Non-deployment activities authorized under the BEAD Program are meant to complement efforts to expand broadband [...] such as workforce development programs, telehealth connectivity and technical assistance for rural small businesses enjoy bipartisan support. These investments will not only improve quality of life for millions of Americans, but also strengthen local economies, support businesses and enable communities to fully participate in the digital economy.” They concluded: “ We respectfully urge the NTIA to promptly issue guidance on the uses of BEAD non-deployment funds consistent with the statute and Congress’s intent. Ensuring states can responsibly deploy these resources will help maximize the impact of this historic investment and advance our shared goal of connecting all Americans to high-speed broadband internet.” The full letter can be read HERE . Last year, the Trump Administration announced changes to BEAD that rescinded previous guidance for non-deployment activities. Since that announcement, the Department of Commerce has not issued new guidance. The letter is a direct follow up to questions Shaheen posed back in April at a U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee hearing where Secretary Lutnick noted that non-deployment guidance would be expected “within a couple months.” In June, then-NTIA Administrator Roth commented that non-deployment funds would be released “this summer.” As lead negotiators of the broadband provisions included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law , Senators Shaheen and Collins (R-ME) worked to include authorization of the BEAD Program. The $42 billion Program invests in broadband infrastructure deployment, with the remaining funds set to be used for complementary non-deployment activities to maximize the value of those investments. In total, Shaheen successfully secured $18.6 million in grant funding to support the deployment of broadband infrastructure in New Hampshire, which was released last year, with nearly $200 million remaining for non-deployment activities. ###