Sponsors (2)
Official title: To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to authorize the use of remaining funds under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program for competitive subgrants to support the success of the broadband deployment projects funded by that program, and for other purposes.
Introduced December 23, 2025 by Garland H. Barr · Last progress December 23, 2025
The bill channels federal support toward higher‑capacity broadband, NG9‑1‑1 modernization, and workforce development—improving network reliability and emergency response—but does so in ways that may favor upgrades over basic last‑mile connectivity, raise administrative hurdles and costs, and limit procurement flexibility for some communities.
Households, businesses, and residents of unserved/underserved and Tribal areas will get faster, more reliable internet as the bill prioritizes high‑capacity fiber and backbone deployments and targets remote communities for new broadband projects.
Local governments, emergency communications centers, hospitals, and first responders will gain explicit eligibility, technical assistance, and clearer interoperability standards for Next Generation 9‑1‑1, improving emergency response reliability and data sharing.
State and local grant recipients and subgrantees can use limited operations & maintenance support (including leftover IIJA funds and up to 24 months / 15% O&M) to sustain recently completed broadband projects and ensure short‑term operational stability.
Low‑income households and many rural communities risk being deprioritized because leftover funds and program emphasis can be steered toward upgrading high‑capacity networks, AI scaling, and resilience rather than financing new last‑mile or basic‑connectivity projects.
Subgrant applicants with limited resources may be excluded or delayed because projects must provide a minimum 25% local contribution, creating a financial barrier for low‑resourced applicants.
New technical certification requirements, single points of contact, mandatory public challenge processes, and wholesale-availability conditions will increase administrative complexity, compliance costs, and the risk of delayed awards for eligible entities and applicants.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Amends BEAD statute to add definitions and priorities enabling leftover BEAD funds to sustain deployments, modernize 9‑1‑1, require interoperability, and support AI-ready networks and workforce development.
Amends the BEAD statute to add and clarify definitions and priorities so leftover BEAD grant funds can be used to strengthen and sustain approved broadband projects, modernize emergency 9‑1‑1 communications, and support AI-capable network infrastructure and workforce development. The changes expand the statutory glossary (including cross-references to the federal AI definition), add interoperability and emergency communications center definitions, and emphasize interoperable standards and high-capacity networking for public safety and national security.