Mountain State Times

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, issued a statement in response to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's announcement regarding the BEAD program. The Department of Commerce has decided to pause and review the program with the aim of enhancing its efficiency and facilitating broadband deployment.

Senator Capito expressed her support for Secretary Lutnick's initiative to improve the BEAD program. She noted that "the Biden administration added many unnecessary mandates that led to delays in getting broadband deployed in West Virginia." Capito highlighted that despite being nearly three and a half years since BEAD was signed into law, it has not yet connected any individuals in her state.

The senator emphasized West Virginia's efforts to utilize the $1.2 billion allocated for broadband funding, which she believes will significantly advance the state's connectivity objectives. However, she expressed concerns about potential further delays or revisions required for proposals and applications due to this pause.

Capito reaffirmed her commitment to ensuring swift connectivity for more than 97,000 unserved locations and nearly 15,000 underserved locations across West Virginia through the BEAD program.