Republicans want fewer rules blocking internet expansion plans

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Senate Republicans on Thursday urged the Trump administration to eliminate unnecessary regulations, including those related to climate change and “woke” requirements, which they claim are hindering broadband internet expansion efforts.

Led by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), members of the Senate Commerce Committee addressed their concerns in a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick regarding the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, which was established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Despite its ambitious goal of expanding broadband access nationwide, the program has faced criticism from congressional Republicans and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr for failing to effectively connect Americans to the internet.

The Biden administration mismanaged and imposed ridiculous rules on the BEAD program and did not connect ONE person to the internet.

It’s time to remove these barriers and start getting households online. pic.twitter.com/M025Kamnzy

— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) March 27, 2025

The letter, co-signed by twelve Republican senators including Ted Cruz (R-TX), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), follows their previous criticism of former Vice President Kamala Harris’s ineffective leadership as “broadband czar,” which they compared to her role as “border czar.”

“In particular, we encourage you to remove the BEAD program’s restrictive labor requirements that disadvantage rural communities, provisions favoring government-owned networks over private investment, and guidelines that prioritize certain technologies over others and clearly contradict congressional pursuit of tech-neutrality,” the Senate Republicans wrote to the Commerce secretary.

The senators referenced revelations from the former BEAD program director, who acknowledged that many “woke requirements” were implemented by the Biden administration purely for political messaging rather than program effectiveness.

The Republicans outlined several problematic regulations, including attempted broadband price controls that contradicted the infrastructure bill’s explicit prohibitions and climate change requirements that they argue diverted resources from the program’s core mission of expanding internet access.

From the day he took office, @POTUS made it clear that he would not hesitate to take action to protect our nation and deter our enemies.

That’s exactly what he’s been doing, both here at home and abroad. pic.twitter.com/g1H9eWXj3d

— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) March 25, 2025

They identified multiple obstacles implemented by the Biden-Harris administration, including discriminatory labor requirements, preference for government-owned networks, restrictions on non-fiber optic projects, confusing affordability mandates, climate-related risk assessments, and inconsistent American-made product waiver processes.

With Lutnick now leading the Commerce Department, the Republican senators express optimism about the program’s potential to achieve its original goals, despite the Biden administration’s regulatory hurdles.

“Under your leadership, the BEAD program can finally fulfill its long overdue mission and ensure taxpayer dollars are not spent funding extraneous, burdensome regulations,” Thune and the Senate Republicans continued. “Eliminating these obstacles will empower states to work closely with broadband providers and accelerate deployment, maximize resources, and reach truly unserved and underserved communities without any more delay caused by unnecessary government interference.”