NTIA Nominee Arielle Roth Confirmation Hearing Set for March 27

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2025 – The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Arielle Roth on March 27 at 2:15 p.m. She’s president Donald Trump’s pick to head the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

The agency handles the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, along with other broadband grant programs. BEAD is getting closer to breaking ground after years of mapping and planning efforts, but the Trump administration has said it’s looking at making changes to make the program more technologically neutral. 

The program currently favors the speedy but more expensive fiber, and it’s not clear exactly how the administration will look to shift gears.

Outgoing BEAD director Evan Feinman told colleagues he anticipated a per-location spending cap of some kind, which, depending on how low it was, would have the effect of forcing states to spend less on fiber and more on satellite. Elon Musk, the major donor and close advisor to the president, owns the satellite ISP Starlink.

Roth, currently the telecommunications policy director for Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has also been critical of the program’s fiber preference. 

“She’ll serve President Trump and Commerce Secretary Lutnick well in their mission to advance government efficiency, economic growth, and innovation,” Cruz said in a statement. “Congratulations to Arielle and her entire family on this important nomination.”

More than 30 states have started fielding grant applications under the current rules. Three states had spending plans approved under the Biden administration, but their cash is now being held up by the National Institute of Standard and Technology, which acts as NTIA’s grants manager for the program.