Concord, N.H. – Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander, alongside U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01), 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.
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