Fact Check: "The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced on June 6, 2023, that states must conduct an additional round of subgrantee selection to allow all applicants to compete for broadband funding."
What We Know
The claim states that the NTIA announced on June 6, 2023, that states must conduct an additional round of subgrantee selection for broadband funding. However, the NTIA's actual announcement on that date focused on reforms to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, which included a shift to a technology-neutral approach and the removal of certain regulatory burdens, rather than mandating an additional selection round for applicants (source-1).
The BEAD program, established under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, aims to provide $42.45 billion in funding to enhance broadband access across the United States (source-4). The announcement did not indicate that states were required to conduct another round of subgrantee selection; instead, it emphasized the adoption of a tech-neutral approach to improve competition and efficiency in the funding process.
Analysis
The claim appears to misinterpret or misrepresent the NTIA's announcement. The NTIA's focus was on streamlining the BEAD program and removing regulatory barriers, which included eliminating preferences for specific technologies and reducing unnecessary compliance requirements (source-1).
Furthermore, the announcement did not specify that states must conduct an additional round of subgrantee selection. Instead, it aimed to enhance the existing selection process by making it more competitive and efficient (source-4).
The sources used to verify this claim are credible, coming directly from the NTIA and related government publications. The NTIA is a reputable federal agency responsible for advising the President on telecommunications and information policy, making its announcements authoritative and reliable.
Conclusion
The claim that the NTIA announced on June 6, 2023, that states must conduct an additional round of subgrantee selection for broadband funding is False. The actual announcement focused on reforms to the BEAD program, emphasizing a technology-neutral approach and the removal of regulatory burdens, without mandating any additional selection rounds for applicants.
Sources
- FACT SHEET: ENDING BIDEN'S BROADBAND BURDENS
- BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice
- BroadbandUSA - National Telecommunications and Information Administration
- Trump Administration Announces the Benefit of the Bargain BEAD Program
- News
- BEAD Initial Proposal Guidance Volumes I and II
- Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program
- NTIA Restructures BEAD Program with Major Broadband Funding Changes