Policyband

Sen. Kennedy to Lutnick: 'Why Don't You Just Use ... Starlink?'

'Why don’t you just do that? And do it across America and save a bunch of money," the Louisiana Republican said.

Ted Hearn

Feb 11, 2026 — 10 min read

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BEAD: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick just slashed the $42.45 billion BEAD program in half. But that apparently wasn’t good enough for Sen. John Kennedy, the folksy Louisiana Republican whose Pelican State just got handed a check for $498.7 million from NTIA. Kennedy vented a bit in a brief exchange with Lutnick, who was testifying Tuesday before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies.

Here’s some of the exchange:

Kennedy: “Why don’t you just use satellite Internet service? Why don’t you just use Globalstar or Starlink? Yeah, you said it costs $4,000 per person in Louisiana. For 600 bucks, you can buy a Starlink terminal. Why don’t you just do that? And do it across America and save a bunch of money.”

Lutnick: “The states were responsible for determining the best outcome, and sometimes fiber in a dense location can be economically better. Sometimes satellite does not work best.”

Kennedy: It can’t be cheaper. That’s not possible. It can’t be cheaper. (More after paywall.)