D.C. Memo: Sen. Rosen Blasts Trump Nominee – Where's Nevada's BEAD Money?
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BEAD: Just four days before the end of the Biden administration, NTIA gave final approval to Nevada’s $417 million to fund BEAD projects in the Silver State. But NTIA under the Trump administration has not released the money. And that has Sen. Jacky Rosen, Nevada Democrat, seething, and she exposed her anger yesterday at the confirmation hearing of Paul Dabbar, President Trump’s nominee as Deputy Secretary of Commerce. NTIA is a division within Commerce that will likely fall within Dabbar’s chain of command. In a tense exchange, Rosen began by saying Nevada’s funding had been approved to connect all Nevadans to high-speed Internet. She claimed Nevada’s plan was tech neutral, with 10% of funding allocated to low Earth orbit satellite, and had low per-location costs on average. “Will you commit to releasing that funding, yes or no?” she asked. “I will commit to certainly look at improving what's been going on …” Dabbar said. Rosen cut him off: “I’ll take that as a no then. It's been approved.” Dabbar said he did not have specific knowledge of Nevada’s situation. “It has been fully approved,” Rosen said in a strong voice. “I will go under oath and tell you it has been fully approved, according to the proposal. The money has been frozen. Will you commit to unfreezing approved, appropriated money by the United States Congress?” Dabbar said he was “passionate about the BEAD program and the fact that the 14-step processes have not actually gotten to deployment to Nevada and elsewhere.”
Rosen kept on the attack. “Our process is complete. I'm trying to be clear: It has been completed, it has been approved. The money is coming and now it's frozen. So, it's not that something is in process or under review or any of those things. This is a project that has been completed according to the appropriate specifications and approved,” Rosen said. In March, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said he was revamping the $42.45 billion BEAD program to make it more tech neutral – an indication to some that billions would shift from fiber to satellite. According to some reports, Lutnick might unveil his BEAD overhaul next week. Nevada isn’t alone in wondering where its BEAD funding is. In the waning moments of the Biden administration, NTIA gave final BEAD approval to Louisiana (Jan. 13/$1.3 billion) and Delaware (Jan.14/$108 million). That funding has not been released.