Rep. Hudson Bows New Bill to Change Key Terms in BEAD Program

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2025 – The House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing Wednesday to address rural broadband and the ‘unnecessary’ regulations that, despite being in place for over three years, have yet to connect a single home.

In his opening statement, subcommittee Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., discussed the Biden Administration’s struggles to implement the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program blaming “technology preferences, burdensome labor rules, and climate change requirements” imposed by Biden and the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

Hudson announced Wednesday that he introduced the SPEED for BEAD Act, a bill that he said was designed to try to remove burdensome requirements and get homes connected.

“This bill would eliminate the unnecessary and expensive regulations NTIA imposed, further clarify that rate regulation by NTIA or any other entity is prohibited, ensure that the program is run on a technology-neutral basis, and more efficiently use tax dollars by ensuring that awards to providers are cost effective and that funds are only used for deployment,” Hudson said. 

He noted several Republicans on the subcommittee also co-sponsored the bill.

Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., echoed this same sentiment, particularly in relation to removing the fiber preference NTIA instituted under Biden’s tenure.

 “Think what was just said: three years of effort and not one inch of fiber has been built. Our people are clamoring in our area for local broadband to have access to the Internet and broadband. The program needs to be reformed to be technology-neutral,” Guthrie said.

Democratic Ranking Members Doris Matsui, D-Ca., and Frank Pallone, D-N.J., took time in their opening remarks to blast the Republican's apparent plans to allocate large amounts of BEAD money to Elon Musk’s Starlink, saying they were not acting in good faith.

“Last week, not a single Republican voted with Democrats to assure this committee conducts oversight into conflicts of interest like Musk,” Matsui said in her opening statement. “So forgive me if I find it hard to believe that Republicans will ensure that the Trump administration applies broadband rules fairly.”

Pallone also echoed the fact that Musk, who is deeply engrained in the Trump administration, is looking to help his company’s interests. 

“And we know Elon Musk is salivating over the prospect of steering BEAD dollars to his companies,” Pallone said. “Just yesterday the Wall Street Journal reported Musk’s SpaceX and Starlink could receive up to $20 billion worth of BEAD funding under new plans being developed inside the Commerce Department.”