Several U.S. Senators have expressed serious concerns over Vice President Kamala Harris’ leadership in the federal government’s broadband expansion efforts. In a letter addressed to Harris on September 18, 2024, the Senators, including John Thune, Marsha Blackburn, Ted Cruz, and Deb Fischer, accused her of mismanaging the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, which was funded with $42.45 billion under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The Senators criticized Harris for failing to deliver internet access to rural and underserved communities, noting that these areas “continue to wait for the connectivity they were promised” despite her leadership role over the past three years. They argue that the program has faced delays due to what they describe as unnecessary mandates, such as prioritizing climate change objectives, requiring unionized labor in certain states, and attempting to regulate broadband rates.
The letter argues that these actions have obstructed progress, leaving millions of Americans without access to reliable internet and wasting taxpayer dollars. “The American public deserves better,” the Senators concluded, calling for more effective management of the broadband program.
