FCC Chair Carr Slams Buttigieg over Broadband Program Failures
Buttigieg Accuses Trump Administration of Incompetence
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has criticized the Trump administration for alleged incompetence, claiming it has put Americans at risk. However, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr has hit back, pointing to a multi-billion dollar broadband program under the Biden administration that has yielded no results.
Carr Highlights Biden Administration’s Broadband Failures
In a response to Buttigieg on Twitter, Carr stated that the Biden administration received $42 billion to connect millions of Americans to the internet. Despite this, 1,163 days later, the administration has failed to connect even a single person or turn over any significant amount of dirt. Carr sarcastically added that if the administration needs expertise in incompetence, they should reach out to him.
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Provisions
The Biden administration allocated $42.5 billion through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for a program aimed at providing internet access to underserved and rural areas. However, a report by the Washington Policy Center revealed that the program has not connected any users to the internet since its inception in 2023.
States Required to Submit Plans
States were required to submit plans to the federal government by 2023, outlining their investment and deployment strategies for broadband services. Upon receiving these plans, President Joe Biden hailed the initiative as comparable to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s 1936 Rural Electrification Act, which brought electricity to homes and farms nationwide.
Carr’s Criticism of $42.5 Billion Program
Carr has consistently criticized the $42.5 billion program. He has cited it in tweets and public statements, including before President Donald Trump’s election in 2023. After Trump’s election, Carr was appointed as FCC commissioner and subsequently as chair of the agency.
Biden Administration Blamed for Lack of Progress
Carr has placed the blame for the lack of progress on the Biden administration. He argues that the administration has imposed additional barriers on states, preventing them from accessing the funds and initiating construction projects. According to Carr, the bureaucratic obstacles have hindered the program’s implementation.
High-Speed Internet Projects Under Biden
Carr acknowledges that some high-speed internet projects have been completed during the Biden administration. However, he emphasizes that none of these projects were funded through the $42.5 billion allocation from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program.
Conclusion
FCC Chair Carr’s criticism of the Biden administration’s broadband program highlights the ongoing partisan divide over government spending and infrastructure initiatives. While Buttigieg has attacked the Trump administration for alleged incompetence, Carr has pointed to the Biden administration’s own failures as evidence of government inefficiency and lack of accountability. The debate over these issues is likely to continue as the government seeks to address the challenges of broadband access and digital equity in underserved communities.
