Little Talk of BEAD at Lutnick’s House Hearing
He did not repeat his goal of non-deployment guidance ‘over the next two months,’ which he told senators Wednesday.
WASHINGTON, April 23, 2026 – Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified before House appropriators Thursday on the agency’s 2027 budget request. Commerce’s $42.45 billion broadband expansion program was not a frequent topic of discussion.
Lutnick told senators Wednesday the agency was aiming to complete guidance on how states could use BEAD non-deployment funding “over the next two months.” He did not repeat that assurance Thursday when asked by Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., when the guidance would be ready.
He instead noted the wide array of input the National Telecommunications and Information Administration had received from various stakeholders and said that would inform a plan to “go out and now do new and exciting things with the money, in the model of the statute that you gave us.”
