(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), alongside U.S. Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), are calling on U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to reverse recently announced changes to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program that would delay broadband expansion across rural New Hampshire. New Hampshire is awaiting $191 million in previously announced federal BEAD funding that may now be delayed by these changes.
The Congressional delegation wrote, in part: “We write to urge you to reverse harmful changes to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program created under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In June 2025, the Department of Commerce announced changes to this vital program that will threaten broadband access in New Hampshire, especially in rural and underserved communities that most need it.”
They continued: “New guidelines released by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on June 6, 2025 effectively remove the ability of state agencies to award BEAD funds to broadband providers who will best combine high-quality internet service with cost-efficient construction of broadband infrastructure. The administration has now removed discretion from state and local communities, instead requiring that BEAD funds be allocated solely to the lowest-cost projects—even if those projects deliver extremely low-quality internet service to rural areas. This change is especially harmful to rural Granite Staters, who may now be limited to slow, weather-dependent internet”
They concluded: “These abrupt changes are set to potentially derail the disbursement of funds to states that have been expecting them. For example, New Hampshire already has a five-year plan approved by NTIA and is ready to receive $191 million in BEAD funds. In light of the uncertainty the new guidance has caused, our state must now determine how to proceed should the Department reverse its prior commitments.”
The full letter can be read HERE.
As a lead negotiator of the broadband provisions included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Senator Shaheen worked with Senator Collins (R-ME) to include authorization of the BEAD Program. The program provides funding to states to improve access to high-speed internet and ensure that Americans have access to the high-quality internet service they need for the 21st century economy. In total, Shaheen successfully secured $65 billion to support broadband affordability and deployment programs across the nation including nearly $200 million for New Hampshire.
Senator Hassan helped negotiate key provisions in the bipartisan infrastructure law on high-speed internet, passenger rail, coastal resiliency, and cybersecurity. The bill also incorporates elements of bipartisan legislation Senator Hassan authored to support rural broadband using private activity bonds to help pay for high-speed internet infrastructure in unserved locations, an approach that allows state and local governments to access and leverage new sources of capital and attract investment for broadband.
###