Senators demand Commerce Department issue guidance on $21 billion broadband non-deployment funds

A bipartisan coalition of senators—Jeanne Shaheen, Susan Collins, Angus King, Bill Cassidy, Catherine Cortez Masto and Mark Warner—sent a letter to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration urging the release of long-delayed guidance on the use of non-deployment funds under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. The guidance would define permissible activities such as broadband adoption programs, connecting anchor institutions, mapping, and infrastructure in multifamily housing, covering up to $21 billion that remains unallocated.

The Commerce Department and NTIA have repeatedly pushed back deadlines, with earlier promises for a summer release and a March policy notice tied to AI compliance that never materialized. Senators argue that clear rules are needed to allow states to deploy the funds effectively and support small businesses, schools, and health providers. They also warned that without guidance the Treasury could reclaim the money, though the Commerce Secretary has pledged to spend it according to the statute. The appeal follows earlier bipartisan efforts, including a request from Sen. Deb Fischer for a second deployment round and broader uses such as precision agriculture.