One Year Without the Digital Equity Act

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Round-Up for the Week of May 11-15, 2026

May 8, 2026, marked one year since President Donald Trump terminated the grants made under the Digital Equity Act. The Digital Equity Act, part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA), is a landmark piece of legislation that primed all 50 states and U.S. territories to implement programs to improve digital literacy, improve access to affordable internet-connected devices, provide technical support, and increase awareness of privacy and cybersecurity. One year ago, President Donald Trump shared via Truth Social that he and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick were determined to bring an end to the Digital Equity Act and its “unconstitutional” and “illegal” programs.

In the past week, lawmakers, public advocates, and practitioners have spoken out—most prominently through a May 14 press conference hosted by the Hispanic Tech and Telecom Partnerships (HTTP) and a host of community-based advocacy organizations—about the costs of terminating the Digital Equity Act and the repercussions for U.S. residents struggling to get and stay online. The conversation centered around what the Digital Equity Act was, what programs were lost, and who has been most affected by the loss of the $2.75 billion effort to connect the unconnected.

What Did the Digital Equity Act Do?

The $2.75 billion Digital Equity Act is comprised of three grant programs administered by the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA):

1. The $60 million Digital Equity Planning Grant Program,
2. The $1.44 billion Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and
3. The $1.25 billion Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program.

The Planning and Capacity Programs are related. Their funds, which were allocated by a formula created by Congress, flowed to state governments and were meant to be used to plan and implement programs that promote internet adoption among what Congress calls “covered populations.” The Competitive program, by contrast, awarded grants through a competitive application process open primarily to non-state entities, like non-profits. On May 8th, 2025, the day President Trump terminated these grants:

• The Planning Program had been completed, and states’ digital equity plans were approved by NTIA;
• NTIA had also approved states’ strategies to implement their digital equity plans, setting them up to receive Capacity Program awards; and
• NTIA had recommended 66 Competitive Program applicants for awards and was planning additional funding rounds.

In the IIJA, Congress identified eight “covered populations” with greater need for broadband adoption and digital skills programs. Historically, many of these groups have had lower rates of technology adoption:

1. Low-income individuals;
2. People 65 or older;
3. Incarcerated individuals;
4. Veterans;
5. Individuals with a disability;
6. Individuals with a language barrier;
7. Individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group; and
8. Individuals who primarily reside in rural areas.

In a May 8 statement. Dr. Revati Prasad, Executive Director of the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, noted that these eight covered populations often overlap, their barriers to connectivity often reinforce each other, and, combined, these groups represent the vast majority of U.S. residents.

“Congress directed states to understand how these groups experienced barriers to broadband adoption and then develop digital equity plans to address those barriers, said Dr. Prasad. “Congress’s identification of covered populations is about targeting efforts where they are most needed and designing programs that meet people’s needs.”

The Digital Equity Act was targeted to fill crucial gaps in connectivity, Dr. Prasad continued, before its unlawful termination by the Trump Administration.

“The DEA and its list of covered populations represent a logical, efficient approach: you go where the problem is—and you solve it,” she said. “That is what Congress mandated. That is what states planned for. That is what communities were poised to implement before President Trump illegally ended DEA programs. Universal, meaningful connectivity is a prerequisite for a functioning economy and an inclusive society.”

Broadband Infrastructure Alone is Not Enough

At this week’s press conference, speakers emphasized that the Digital Equity Act and the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program were designed to work in tandem. Many households can’t afford internet service when it is available. Without the Digital Equity Act, the critical infrastructure funded by BEAD may not be used to its fullest potential.

Federal Communications Commissioner Anna Gomez stressed that without Digital Equity Act funds, investment in infrastructure may not be meaningful.

“Access alone does not close the digital divide,” said Commissioner Gomez. “We cannot declare victory by counting miles of fiber laid or dollars spent…If we only measure deployment, we will build a lot of digital bridges to nowhere and leave a lot of people behind.”

Chris Lewis, President and CEO of Public Knowledge, concurred with Commissioner Gomez, saying that the Digital Equity Act propels BEAD investments forward. Lewis said:

Effects on the Disconnected and the Organizations Dedicated to Serving Them

Without the Digital Equity Act funds, states will struggle to implement the plans they created to address the digital inequities their residents face. Over 80 percent of U.S. residents fall within one or more of the covered populations, and in a time of rapid technological change, they are at risk of getting left further behind.

“For seniors, low-income households, veterans, and those with disabilities, Digital Equity Act funding was crucial, providing them with the skills, technology, and equipment to fully harness the capability of the internet,” said Representative Rob Menendez (D-NJ).

Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of the Hispanic Federation, highlighted the costs for Latino residents of the U.S.

“The more that we have Latinos dropping out of access to broadband or digital skilling, the more disinformation is rampant among our community,” said Miranda.

Andrew Butcher, President of the Maine Connectivity Authority, said that Maine was ready to launch its digital equity programs, and the loss of funding had a dramatic impact on the digital equity ecosystem in the state.

“People [were] hired, grant programs launched,” Butcher said. “The federal government terminated the funding…and Maine lost $35 million of investment. People lost jobs, and every single person who shared their personal experience for the promise that it would lead to a new opportunity was let down.”

Butcher acknowledged the Maine library system specifically as one of the major institutions ready to implement Digital Equity Act programs.

“Maine libraries directly lost funding that they had proposed to upgrade facilities and to equip their staff, who are very much on the front line of providing technical assistance and digital skills for their constituents,” he said.

Organizations that counted on federal funding and the communities they serve have struggled, just as technologies like generative artificial intelligence (AI) have quickly evolved. Speakers at the press conference cited the Digital Equity Act’s programs as major supports in keeping up with that evolution.

“For anyone who believes the United States should lead in artificial intelligence, the stakes are even higher, because you cannot build an AI-ready workforce without these investments,” said Commissioner Gomez.

In the wake of the Digital Equity Act grants’ termination, states have responded to their digital opportunity challenges in a number of different ways. Just this week, California approved $3.29 million in grants from the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) Broadband Adoption Account to support 21 projects that will expand digital literacy training and public broadband access in communities across the state. But the Digital Equity Act promised to support the human infrastructure of broadband in every state and territory in the nation.

“If Digital Equity Act funds are not protected and used as Congress intended, organizations on the ground and states that provide the human infrastructure of broadband will be unable to deliver their programs effectively,” said JudeAnne Heath, Executive Director of HTTP.

Public Interest Organizations Take Action

A number of organizations cited the ways in which they are advocating for the Digital Equity Act one year after its termination.

In October 2025, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia challenging the Trump Administration’s repeal of the Digital Equity Act Competitive Grant Program. The suit argues that the administration’s unilateral decision to end the statutory program and terminate grant funding is unconstitutional and violates the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches as outlined in the Constitution.

“NDIA has taken the unusual step to fight for the Digital Equity Act in the courts, and we invite you to join us in advocating for funding…to serve more neighbors and community members,” said NDIA Executive Director Angela Siefer.

The United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry is supporting NDIA’s lawsuit by coordinating an amicus brief written by the Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic at UC Berkeley School of Law, joined by 22 total organizations. The brief argues that the cancellation of Digital Equity Act funds was unlawful and has derailed dozens of community-level projects already planned and staffed.

Siefer also recognized that NDIA’s affiliate organizations are working on state-level coordination around the Digital Equity Act.

“NDIA’s affiliates are the ones who are talking to their governor’s offices. They’re advocating with those attorneys general because they’re the ones who are impacted so deeply, and the communities they work with are impacted so deeply. So we are seeing that advocacy occur right now,” she said.

The coalition of national, state and local organizations that assembled the press conference around the Digital Equity Act also sent a letter to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on May 14, urging them to “reject the Administration’s removal of Digital Equity Act funds in Commerce’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request for [NTIA], continue full funding, and prevent future efforts to withhold or impound these appropriated funds, or otherwise weaken investments in this critical program.”

Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee, vowed to advocate for the Digital Equity Act.

“As the ranking member, top Democrat on the House Appropriations Subcommittee that funds commerce, justice, and science, which oversees federal broadband funding, I’m continuing to fight to protect and restore this congressionally appropriated funding,” said Rep. Meng.

Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) said he is advocating for other funding opportunities for digital equity.

“I’m working with my colleagues across the aisle through a bipartisan working group dedicated to the Universal Service Fund and broadband access to push for additional funding and deliver investments where they’re needed most,” said Sen. Luján.

Ultimately, the organizations raising their voices in support of the Digital Equity Act this month stressed that the programs under the law are essential for a thriving, digitally literate society.

“As a country that values innovation, new digital technologies are inevitable, and yet the greatest strength in our country has always been its people,” said Siefer. “To value our people in the twenty-first century’s digital world, we cannot treat consistent access to the internet, appropriate devices, and digital skill building as luxuries. They are essential to a healthy and economically thriving democracy.”

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