BEAD Spending Safe from Energy Executive Order, White House Says

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2024 – The Trump administration clarified Wednesday that an executive order directing agencies to pause Inflation Reduction and Infrastructure Act funding applies only to certain energy projects, dispelling some fears of broadband deployment efforts being caught in a political crossfire.

“This pause only applies to funds supporting programs, projects, or activities that may be implicated by the policy established in Section 2 of the order,” Matthew Vaeth, acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, wrote in a memo posted Wednesday. That section of the order deals with energy production on federal land, electric vehicle policies, and household appliance manufacturing. It does not mention broadband.

Experts said the memo was a clear signal the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program was not covered by the order’s call to pause funding. The order caused some speculation that all IIJA programs, including BEAD, could be held up by Trump’s policies.