Davidson Leaving as NTIA Head Jan. 20; Officials See BEAD Changes Under Trump

“The work that we’re all doing … it’s changing people’s lives,” Davidson said. “It’s rare to have the opportunity, certainly in federal service, to so directly touch people. It’s really been a privilege.” Davidson emphasized “the vast, vast majority at NTIA and at the Commerce Department will stay.” There are “amazing senior leaders” at NTIA who “are passionate about this work, and that’s why I’m optimistic” some of the agency’s policy priorities during the Biden administration, including BEAD implementation and the national spectrum strategy, will continue into Trump’s new term.

Blackburn said that Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz of Texas, who will become chairman in January, and Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member John Thune of South Dakota, who’s coming in as the chamber’s majority leader, are “looking at an aggressive agenda” on telecom issues. That will include a “revisit” of BEAD, she said. Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick, Trump’s planned commerce secretary nominee, and whoever succeeds Davidson as NTIA administrator are “going to have a role to play” in potential regulatory rollbacks, Blackburn said. She predicted Congressional Review Act resolutions to undo some Biden-era actions. Blackburn also noted Cruz’s plans for a “review” of NTIA’s BEAD implementation (see 2411220035) and said “we will also look at duplicative broadband grant programs and see how we can consolidate” them.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., on Thursday said “I personally don’t like” the BEAD name but praised NTIA’s “good stewardship” of the program. “I’m very hopeful that we’re going to continue” implementing the BEAD money and other connectivity funding from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, she said: “Given that [Trump] did really well in rural areas” and “a lot of his focus was to get help to people in rural areas, I’m hopeful we’re going to find some way to make this work” in spite of GOP criticisms of the program.

Open RAN Policy Coalition Executive Director Diane Rinaldo, NTIA acting administrator during Trump’s first term, said some stakeholders’ concerns that the Trump-initiated Department of Government Efficiency could recommend rolling back BEAD funding likely won’t come to pass. “I don’t foresee the money getting pulled back,” but an audit is possible, she said. “People don't need to necessarily run around with their hair on fire” about such a review of BEAD. Rinaldo praised the bid to “build out internet throughout the country” but suggested there are “things that we can do to help improve that,” including shrinking the BEAD implementation timeline.

'Changes Coming'

Eric Frederick, chief connectivity officer of the Michigan High-Speed Internet Office, acknowledged he foresees “some changes coming” to BEAD once Trump returns to office. “NTIA has been an amazing partner” during the Biden administration and Trump officials can “help states” address supply chain issues, aid with workforce development and permitting, Frederick said. “What everybody wants, at this point, is as much consistency as we can” get, said Joshua Breitbart, senior vice president-New York’s Empire State Development ConnectALL.

Shiva Goel, NTIA senior adviser-spectrum policy, urged Trump’s incoming Commerce Department team and Congress to allow the Biden administration’s spectrum strategy to continue despite GOP criticisms. The strategy “is evidence-based, data-driven, collaborative,” Goel said. “We think that's how you make progress in this environment that is different structurally” and is “an approach that so far is working.” It’s “really important for Congress to act” to restore the FCC’s long-lapsed spectrum auction authority, but “in the interim, we’re keeping ourselves busy,” he said. Crest Hill Advisors' Scott Harris, who led work on the spectrum strategy while at NTIA, also encouraged the incoming Trump administration to keep the plan.

Salt Point Strategies’ David Redl, NTIA administrator during Trump’s first administration, urged Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr to “immediately go forward” once he becomes chairman Jan. 20 on a reauction of the 197 AWS-3 licenses that Dish and affiliated designated entities returned to the commission last year. The Senate is expected next week to move on the House-passed FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (HR-5009), which would authorize the AWS-3 reauction to offset $3.08 billion in funding for the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (see 2412110067).

Cooley’s Robert McDowell, a former FCC commissioner, urged swiftly revisiting Rosenworcel’s opinion that the Antideficiency Act bars the FCC from even drafting items exploring future spectrum auctions while the authority is lapsed. “I'm sure the new Congress … would send letters” asking the FCC to “start work on this [on] day one” of a Carr chairmanship, McDowell said.