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Legislators

New Hampshire Delegation Urges Commerce Secretary to Reverse BEAD Program Changes

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The New Hampshire Congressional delegation, consisting of Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, as well as Representatives Chris Pappas and Maggie Goodlander, have issued a joint statement urging U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to reverse recently announced changes to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. The changes, announced in June 2025, threaten to delay broadband expansion in rural communities, particularly in New Hampshire, where $191 million in previously announced federal BEAD funding is at risk of being delayed.

Key Takeaways:

  • The New Hampshire Congressional delegation is urging the U.S. Department of Commerce to reverse changes to the BEAD program that will threaten broadband access in rural communities.
  • The changes, announced in June 2025, will remove the ability of state agencies to award BEAD funds to broadband providers who will best combine high-quality internet service with cost-efficient construction of broadband infrastructure.
  • The new guidelines released by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on June 6, 2025, require that BEAD funds be allocated solely to the lowest-cost projects, even if those projects deliver extremely low-quality internet service to rural areas.
  • The delegation argues that this change is especially harmful to rural Granite Staters, who may now be limited to slow, weather-dependent internet.
  • The BEAD program provides funding to states to improve access to high-speed internet and ensure that Americans have access to the high-quality internet service they need for the 21st century economy.
  • Senator Shaheen successfully secured $65 billion to support broadband affordability and deployment programs across the nation, including nearly $200 million for New Hampshire.
  • Senator Hassan helped negotiate key provisions in the bipartisan infrastructure law on high-speed internet, passenger rail, coastal resiliency, and cybersecurity.

Statistics:

  • $65 billion: The amount secured by Senator Shaheen to support broadband affordability and deployment programs across the nation.
  • $200 million: The amount of funding secured by Senator Shaheen for New Hampshire.
  • $191 million: The amount of previously announced federal BEAD funding that may be delayed due to the changes to the BEAD program.
  • 2025: The year in which the Department of Commerce announced changes to the BEAD program.
  • June 6, 2025: The date on which the NTIA released new guidelines that require the allocation of BEAD funds solely to the lowest-cost projects.

Sources:

  • https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/new-hampshire-delegation-urges-commerce-secretary-to-reverse-bead-program-changes-that-will-derail-broadband-expansion-in-rural-communities
  • Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
  • National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)

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