FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr accused the Biden administration and NTIA chief Alan Davidson of prioritizing political goals such as DEI and climate change over effective broadband deployment for the $42 billion BEAD program. “Some people have said we should measure that program by its intention to connect millions of Americans. I think we should measure it based upon its results, and right now, it’s off the rails,” Carr said.
In testimony before Tuesday’s House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr sharply criticized the Biden Administration’s handling of the $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. Carr’s testimony highlighted significant delays and inefficiencies in the program, which aims to expand high-speed internet access across the United States.|
Carr began by highlighting the program’s failure to connect any Americans to the internet since its inception. “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. He noted that no construction projects are expected to start until at least next year, with some not beginning until 2026.
Carr attributed these delays to excessive bureaucracy and mismanagement. He criticized the administration’s decision to create a complex, nine-step review process, which he argued has mired state broadband offices in red tape. “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.
Carr accused the administration of prioritizing political goals over effective broadband deployment. He argued that the BEAD program is being used to advance a progressive policy agenda, including climate change initiatives and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) requirements, rather than focusing on connecting Americans. “Rather than faithfully implementing the statute, the Biden Administration has put its thumb on the scale in favor of extraneous political goals that have more to do with ideology than they do with getting people connected,” Carr asserted.
Committee member Mariannette Miller-Meeks asked Carr whether he thought the program would succeed.
“I think BEAD is a program that is worth fighting for, but it needs a course correction. We can still do it. Let’s stop trying to pursue DEI and just bridge the digital divide. Let’s stop pushing these climate change agendas and just connect communities,” Carr said.
Carr highlighted concerns from industry and state officials about the BEAD program’s approach. He cited the head of the Minnesota Telecom Alliance, who stated that “zero” of its members would participate in the program due to onerous regulations. Additionally, several states have expressed concerns that BEAD allocations will be insufficient to reach all unserved locations. Carr notes that “too much regulation from Washington is needlessly driving up the cost of building broadband.”
Carr concluded his testimony by calling for significant reforms to the BEAD program. He emphasized the need for a streamlined process focused on practical implementation rather than political goals. “Absent major reforms, the Biden Administration’s implementation of this $42 billion BEAD program is wired to fail,” Carr warned. He urged the administration to prioritize connecting Americans over advancing a political agenda and to simplify the program’s bureaucratic requirements.