Roll Call reports...

The Trump administration has asserted for months that its “bargain” version of the federal $42.5 billion grant program to expand access to broadband internet would save taxpayers money. That made states and their representatives in Congress nervous that funds left over after deployment proposals would be clawed back.

Under pressure from senators at an appropriations hearing, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick last month sought to calm fears when he said that so-called “non-deployment” funds under the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment, or BEAD, program would not be rescinded.

But with no guidance so far from the department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which was expected but delayed this week, lawmakers and others are pushing to have their voice heard on exactly how states will be able to use the $21 billion pot of money.

Concern over the unallocated funds has been bipartisan. Senators on both sides of the aisle pressed Lutnick at the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee hearing — which was overshadowed by questions on his interactions with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — mentioning connectivity needs in their states that could be filled by the funds in areas such as remote health care and farming.