Citizens Against Government Waste Releases Issue Brief on the BEAD Program

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) released a new issue brief, “BEAD: Broadband or Bust,” co-authored by CAGW President Tom Schatz and State Government Affairs Associate Alec Mena, which details how the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program was provided with $42.45 billion in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act with the intent to provide broadband access to unserved households across America.

Tom Schatz and Alec Mena issued the following statement:

“There is more than enough federal funding to bring broadband connectivity to every household and business in America. The BEAD report details the efforts being made by states to bridge the digital divide and the complex barriers to deployment that have been exacerbated by the regulations issued by the Biden-Harris administration. While the National Telecommunications and Information Administration has approved most of the state BEAD funding proposals, none of the money has yet been used to connect anyone, and there are ongoing disputes over rate regulation that could cause further delays. Continued oversight is essential to ensure the BEAD program will eventually help to bridge the digital divide.”

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement, and abuse in government.