Republicans Criticize Broadband Eligibility Rules in Rescue Plan
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Communications Subcommittee ranking member John Thune of South Dakota and nine other Republicans raised concerns Friday with the Treasury Department’s final rule on broadband projects’ eligibility for $350 billion in state…
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and local funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (see 2201070061). The rule backtracks from proposed restrictions that would have allowed eligibility only in areas without 25/3 Mbps (see 2105100060). The broadband-eligible money “was born out of the challenges posed by the pandemic, when much of daily life was forced online and when consumers lacking internet access faced even greater economic and personal hardship,” the senators wrote Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. “We are profoundly disappointed that Treasury’s final rule lacks the proper guidance and constraints needed to ensure that federal funds are used efficiently and for their intended purpose.” This has “the potential to waste taxpayer dollars funding duplicative service in areas with existing access to broadband,” they said. Treasury didn’t comment.