“Delawareans deserve to know why their state’s progress has been put on hold.”
Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick expressing her deep disapproval at the Secretary’s recent guidance on the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. On June 6, Secretary Lutnick announced guidance that would mandate unnecessary red tape and, in practice, delay Delaware’s deployment of high-speed internet to its hardest-to-serve communities, closing the digital divide.
On June 26, Blunt Rochester joined U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), along with 13 of their colleagues, to send a letter to Secretary Lutnick demanding additional answers on the Commerce Department’s moves to delay the deployment of BEAD program funding in their states. The Senators announced that they will delay all Commerce Department nominees until their states receive the funding.
“Delawareans deserve to know why their state’s progress has been put on hold. This decision not only stalls our broadband buildout but also erodes public confidence in the BEAD program and in federally guided partnerships,” wrote Senator Blunt Rochester. “At a minimum, Delaware should not be forced to reorder its timeline or rebid work already completed to standard because of additional bureaucratic red tape. I strongly urge you to consider issuance of clearer, more stable guidance that ensures states can plan and proceed without fear of mid-course reversals.”
The full text of the letter can be found HERE and below.
Dear Secretary Lutnick:
I write today to express my deep disappointment and disapproval regarding the Commerce Department’s unilateral changes to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD) guidance. These changes only serve to undercut states like Delaware who have followed and completed the already established program rules to the letter.
As you announced on June 6, 2025, the new “technology-neutral” guidance prevents final approvals in multiple states, including Delaware’s, and mandates additional and unnecessary red tape, in the form of a rushed additional 90-day bidding round that disrupts many states already finalized deployment plans.
Delaware has finalized its initial and final proposals under the guidance originally provided, including strong industry, community, civil society, and local government support for prioritizing high-speed, future-proof fiber infrastructure to close the digital divide. Our state is ready to begin implementation and only needs sign off from the National Institute of Standards & Technology to start connecting Delawareans with high-speed internet. Due to the abrupt change in the BEAD program, Delaware’s broadband deployment will be delayed. Businesses, students, and rural residents will be forced to rely on other broadband sources while this buildout is delayed. This unnecessary policy shift is unfair and counterproductive to our shared goal of creating timely, equitable broadband access.
Delawareans deserve to know why their state’s progress has been put on hold. This decision not only stalls our broadband buildout but also erodes public confidence in the BEAD program and in federally guided partnerships.
At a minimum, Delaware should not be forced to reorder its timeline or rebid work already completed to standard because of additional bureaucratic red tape. I strongly urge you to consider issuance of clearer, more stable guidance that ensures states can plan and proceed without fear of mid-course reversals.
I remain committed to working with you to ensure that federal broadband funds are deployed efficiently for all, but Delaware should not be penalized for doing things right the first time. I will be personally following up with you on this matter.
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Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester represents Delaware in the United States Senate where she serves on the Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Environment and Public Works; and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.