Pritzker Urges Secretary Lutnick to Release Illinois’ BEAD Funding

WASHINGTON, May 13, 2026 – Illinois is one of two states still waiting on the Trump administration to approve and fund major broadband deployment projects. And Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, D, is unhappy about it.

In a letter on Tuesday, Democrat Pritzker urged Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to promptly approve Illinois’ Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment Final Proposal for funding. The federal funding would deliver $1.04 billion to expand broadband access to 383,000 Illinois residents, providing greater access to those in rural communities.

Every state except for California and Illinois has been approved for BEAD funding, and there seems to be an unusual delay in reviewing their proposals. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is supposed to complete the review of a state’s Final Proposal within 90 days of submission. It has been over seven months since Illinois submitted its proposal on Sept. 30, 2025.

In his one-page letter to Lutnick, Pritzker expressed deep concern over the months-long delay, explaining that Illinois currently has 232 broadband projects that are ready to start construction. Rural communities and small businesses are paying the price for delays, he said. 

“With each passing day, progress is stalled, costs rise, and the financial impact for providers continues to grow … All of this breaks your promise to get Americans connected faster,” Pritzker said.  He emphasized that each day without approval, economic growth slows in communities that need investment the most.

The BEAD program aims to give high-speed internet access to every American through funding partnerships that build infrastructure. States apply to qualify by submitting a proposal explaining how the funds will be used to the NTIA. The NTIA then reviews the proposal and awards the funding to states.