Kamala Harris Faces Heat Over Rural Broadband Project’s $42 Billion Mismanagement

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Vice President Kamala Harris faces mounting criticism over the mismanagement of a $42 billion rural broadband initiative.

At a Glance

  • Nine Senate Republicans criticized Kamala Harris’s role in managing the broadband expansion efforts.
  • The $42.45 billion BEAD Program has faced delays due to additional requirements.
  • No new broadband services have been implemented despite extensive funding.
  • The Biden administration claims the program is on track and following a 10-year timeline.

Broadband Expansion Efforts Under Scrutiny

Vice President Kamala Harris has come under fire for her oversight of the Biden administration’s $42 billion broadband initiative aimed at expanding internet access in rural areas. Republican Senators, including John Thune and Ted Cruz, argue that Harris’s management has been ineffective, focusing instead on climate mandates and union labor conditions.

Senatorial critiques center around the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program created by the 2021 infrastructure law. Despite this massive investment, critics claim that no new internet connectivity has resulted from the initiative. Republicans allege that extraneous requirements related to climate change, affordability, and labor have hamstrung the program’s progress.

These additional requirements have led to significant delays, particularly in states like Virginia, where nearly $1.5 billion has been allocated but remains unused. Virginia’s funding process was hindered by disagreements over federal affordability requirements for internet service providers, reflecting broader frustrations and political consequences for the Biden-Harris administration.

Political Repercussions in Swing States

The delay in implementing the BEAD Program has political implications, especially in swing states where both Republicans and Democrats vie for narrow leads. Virginia’s political climate is particularly affected, with local Democratic campaign groups calling for more concrete evidence of the program’s success. As the 2024 elections approach, the administration’s ability to showcase successful outcomes becomes increasingly crucial.

“People need to see it,” said Lynlee Thorne, a political director for Democratic campaign group Rural Groundgame, which helps lead campaigns for Virginia state seats. “It’s got to be a lot more concrete. We’re past the point of being able to earn people’s votes based on the status quo or just hope.” – Source

The Biden administration defends the BEAD Program, insisting it is following a 10-year timeline as intended by Congress. However, the slow pace and lack of immediate results have left many frustrated, with some questioning the program’s priorities and fiscal responsibility.

Financial Accountability and Bureaucratic Red Tape

Harris’s leadership on the broadband rollout has garnered attention due to accusations of financial mismanagement. Senator Ted Cruz has demanded answers regarding an $849 million slush fund reportedly created from the BEAD funding for administrative purposes. Critics claim this has allowed the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to impose burdensome regulatory and social policy requirements on states, further delaying the program’s progress.

“In 2021, Congress enacted the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, establishing and funding the $42.45 billion BEAD program to bring internet access to all Americans—an unprecedented expense of taxpayer dollars for internet connectivity. Despite National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) three-year-old clear statutory mandate to bring the internet to the unserved, your agency has failed to connect a single American. “What NTIA has done with the money so far is create a nearly billion-dollar slush fund to “administer” the program. Specifically, NTIA has withheld $849 million in BEAD funding for its own budget. This appears to have enabled NTIA to impose excessive administrative burdens and pursue the Biden-Harris administration’s extreme left-wing social policies, without legal authority […]” – Source

The administration continues to affirm its commitment to the BEAD Program’s goals, emphasizing the long-term nature of the project. Nevertheless, the discrepancy between the program’s projected impact and current outcomes remains a point of contention as the administration navigates both public and political scrutiny.

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Sources:

  1. Senate GOP dings Harris’ role as ‘broadband czar’
  1. ‘People need to see it’: How politics hung up a $42B Biden internet buildout

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