FCC Commissioner Questions Management of Multi-Billion Dollar Broadband Initiative

Hundred-dollar bills swirling into a financial vortex.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr criticizes the Biden-Harris Administration’s management of the $42 billion BEAD initiative.

At a Glance

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr criticized the Biden administration and NTIA chief Alan Davidson for prioritizing political goals like DEI and climate change over effective broadband deployment in the $42 billion BEAD program.
Carr testified before the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, highlighting significant delays and inefficiencies in the BEAD program.
No Americans have been connected to the internet through the program since its inception, despite 967 days passing since the plan was signed into law.
No construction projects are expected to start until at least next year, with some not beginning until 2026.
Industry and state officials have expressed concerns about the program’s approach, with some stating that regulations are too onerous and funding allocations insufficient.

Carr Criticizes BEAD Implementation

Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Brendan Carr has publicly criticized the Biden-Harris Administration’s handling of the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) initiative. Carr accused Vice President Kamala Harris of diverting the initiative’s focus from expanding broadband access in rural areas to promoting climate change goals. This critique was delivered during his testimony before the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, where Carr highlighted significant inefficiencies and delays.

Since its inception, no Americans have been connected to the internet through the BEAD program. It has now been 967 days since the plan was signed into law, with no tangible progress in increasing connectivity. According to Carr, construction projects under the BEAD initiative won’t commence until at least the next year, with some projects potentially not beginning until 2026.

🚨 FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr says Kamala Harris has made no progress on her broadband infrastructure initiative despite having 3 years to work on it.

“In 2021, Vice President Harris agreed to lead the administration's signature $42 billion effort to extend internet service… pic.twitter.com/8EQOfOaUnI

— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) September 19, 2024

Bureaucracy and Policy Criticized

Carr attributed the delays to excessive bureaucracy that bogged down state offices. “Members of Congress wrote to the Commerce Department two years ago, explaining that the Biden Administration’s decision to create a complex, nine-step, ‘iterative’ structure and review process is likely to mire State broadband offices in excessive bureaucracy and delay connecting unserved and underserved Americans as quickly as possible,” Carr said. Despite these warnings, the administration has continued to implement the cumbersome processes.

In his testimony before the House Subcommittee, Carr emphasized the dire need for a course correction and highlighted criticisms from industry and state officials. He pointed out that regulations imposed by the BEAD program were too onerous and that the funding allocations were insufficient to meet the program’s goals.

Call for Reforms

Various officials and stakeholders have expressed their frustration with the program’s direction, advocating for significant reforms to the BEAD initiative. Carr has been a vocal critic, arguing that the administration’s focus on DEI and climate change initiatives has detracted from the primary goal of connecting Americans in rural areas. He has traveled to numerous states, gathering input from broadband builders, public safety officials, local leaders, and community members to understand the ground realities better.

“It has now been 967 days since President Biden signed this $42 billion plan into law. And today, not one person has been connected to the internet with those dollars—not one home, not one business,” Carr stated.

Industry officials have also expressed concerns about the program’s approach, citing stringent regulations and insufficient funding. Carr’s call for a streamlined process highlights the urgent need to refocus the BEAD initiative on practical implementation, devoid of extraneous political goals. These criticisms aim at steering the program back to its intended purpose: bridging the digital divide in America.