Hoosier State Today

U.S. Senator Todd Young from Indiana, along with Senator John Thune of South Dakota, have addressed a letter to Howard Lutnick, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The letter calls for the removal of certain regulations from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, crafted during the Biden administration, as Secretary Lutnick reviews the program intended to extend internet access to rural and unserved areas.

The senators criticized the current administration's handling of the BEAD program. They stated, "Republican senators have previously raised concerns with the Biden administration’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and its implementation of the BEAD program." According to them, the NTIA disregarded congressional directives and exceeded its authority under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, leading to obstructive regulations that have, so far, failed to connect any households to the internet.

The letter highlights concerns about labor requirements that the senators believe disadvantage rural areas, a preference for government-owned networks over private investment, and a prioritization of specific technologies countering the objective of technology neutrality. The senators point out that NTIA's attempt at implementing broadband rate regulations violated statutory authority. Additionally, they noted that climate change mandates misdirected the program's focus.

Citing former BEAD program leadership, the senators revealed that several requirements were included by the prior administration for political messaging, rather than serving the program's core mission. They urged Secretary Lutnick to remove these regulations, which they argue hinder effective broadband deployment, increase costs, and contradict the program's goals.

The letter was endorsed by Senators Ted Cruz, Roger Wicker, Deb Fischer, Jerry Moran, Marsha Blackburn, Ted Budd, Eric Schmitt, John Curtis, Bernie Moreno, Tim Sheehy, and Cynthia Lummis.

The full text of the letter is available publicly and underscores the senators' call to "empower states to work closely with broadband providers and accelerate deployment, maximize resources, and reach truly unserved and underserved communities without any more delay caused by unnecessary government interference."