MADISON — Today, 115 legislators from twenty-eight states urged the federal government to maintain the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. This bipartisan letter, addressed to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, warns against redirecting these funds to satellite providers such as Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Rep. Randy Udell (D-47th District) circulated this letter in Wisconsin alongside Rep. Jeffrey Mursau (R-36th District) and Sen. Melissa Ratcliff (D-16th District). Twenty-one Wisconsin legislators joined as signatories.
Rep. Udell released the following statement:
“In 2023, the BEAD program promised Wisconsin over $1 billion to provide reliable, high-speed internet to every serviceable home. This program works – it’s achieved 95% fiber coverage in Louisiana and 100% in Delaware, and implementation in Wisconsin will begin this year.
“Broadband’s fiber lines can handle our growing technological needs while satellite systems struggle to keep up. Changes to the BEAD program now could set us back years. There is no reason to delay Wisconsin’s internet expansion by redirecting our funds into Elon Musk’s pockets.”
