One Year After Cancellation, Digital Equity Act Tied Up in Legal Challenges
The decision to cancel the program is under litigation from affected groups and states.
The decision to cancel the program is under litigation from affected groups and states.
WASHINGTON, May 8, 2026 – Friday marked one year since the Trump administration moved to cancel the Digital Equity Act, the decision continues to face legal challenges and sharp criticism from lawmakers and digital access advocates.
The lead plaintiff in NDIA v. Trump, a lawsuit filed in October suing Donald Trump and senior Commerce Department officials for the decision, said Thursday that the reversal has forced its affiliates to scrap projects, make difficult staffing decisions, and caused some organizations to shut down entirely.
The National Digital Inclusion Alliance has launched a monthlong campaign to ensure the President’s request to eliminate Digital Equity Act funds from the 2027 budget is not heeded by Congress.
A Nebraska ISP is claiming the first subscriber on BEAD infrastructure.
The two-term senator has championed rural broadband access.
The group finds an exponential growing need for spectrum to support emergent space operations.
Utilities are struggling to connect large data centers quickly enough to maintain reliability, panelists said.