CWA District 9 Fights for Fair BEAD Funding

States are finally beginning to receive funds allocated by the Biden-era Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, and CWA members are holding state agencies accountable to ensure the funds go toward the programs they are intended for.

Before President Trump’s second term began, billions in federal funding were set to deliver reliable high-speed internet service to every corner of America through the BEAD program. Instead, the current administration imposed conditions favorable to Trump’s billionaire backers by reallocating funds from future-proof fiber technology to less reliable satellite and wireless, thereby prioritizing their interests over those of families, students, and small businesses.

In California, Condition 50, one of the terms imposed by the Commerce Department agency that advises the president on broadband—the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)—would prevent the state from enforcing utility-style regulation, net neutrality, and affordable pricing terms, among others.

“At minimum, Condition 50 is an explicit effort to undo California's historic net neutrality laws,” CWA District 9 officials wrote in a letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom. “At worst, broadband providers will attempt to twist the language of Condition 50 to shirk non-discrimination laws, thereby leaving vulnerable communities without equal access to quality service.”

CWA District 9 also signed on to an additional letter to Gov. Newsom and the California Public Utility Commission, urging them to vote “No” on Condition 50.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.