
Federal damage to affordable, equitable broadband and digital inclusion
In recent days, major new proposals from the Trump Administration and the majority in Congress are damaging further mechanisms that would have provided low-cost broadband to households in need. The Department of Commerce issued radically revised guidance for states implementing the $42 billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program, and the Senate Commerce Committee released its part of the highly problematic reconciliation budget bill. These two damaging actions come after the Trump Administration’s recent decision to cancel the Digital Equity Act, falsely claiming the law was unconstitutional. They also come after Congress’s failure last year to refund the Affordable Connectivity Program. Together, these decisions tragically discard efforts that would significantly improve internet adoption nationwide.