Lutnick, the former chair and CEO of investment firms Cantor Fitzgerald and BGC Group, was confirmed as the new Commerce Secretary following a 51-45 vote in the Senate.
In a statement following the vote, David Stehlin, CEO of the TIA congratulated Lutnick on his confirmation, calling on the new commerce secretary to support swift and efficient deployment of BEAD funds.
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During confirmation hearings, Lutnick expressed intent to streamline BEAD programme spending to “make sure that Congress gets the benefit of the bargain”.
Responding to the now-confirmed Commerce Secretary’s comments, Stehlin said the TIA agreed with his comments that BEAD should be reviewed to ensure taxpayer funds are “utilised consistent with Congress's intent to connect Americans to broadband”.
Introduced by the Biden administration, BEAD is a programme to provide affordable, high-speed internet as part of its “Internet for All” initiative.
However, the Trump administration has routinely attacked the programme, claiming it fails to provide a fair deal to citizens and isn’t value for money.
Stehlin wrote: “To further ensure that BEAD funds are administered in a manner consistent with Congress’s intent, it is essential for the administration to work with Congress on enacting legislation that prevents federal broadband grants from being considered taxable income.
“Congress never intended for BEAD grants to be subject to federal income tax, and treating these funds as taxable income could impede applicants' ability to apply and diminish the program's overall impact. By streamlining rules and maintaining beneficial policies, the administration can maximise the impact of the BEAD program and ensure that all Americans have access to high-speed broadband.”
Stehlin and the TIA also urged Secretary Lutnick to uphold a waiver that supports investments in domestic sourcing while maintaining supply chain flexibility.
“As Commerce works to streamline BEAD requirements, we believe that NTIA should maintain this waiver to support the investments that TIA members have made in American manufacturing and innovation,” the TIA chair wrote.
“As the administration uses tariffs to make progress on key goals, we encourage the Department of Commerce to engage with industry to limit impacts on consumer prices and domestic manufacturing.”
In the TIA’s statement, Stehlin suggested tariffs related to ICT could increase prices and limit the impact of broadband investments.
“Even products manufactured in the US rely on inputs sourced from abroad, and as a result, broad-based tariffs may make America a less attractive destination for ICT manufacturing and innovation,” Stehlin wrote.
“By coordinating with industry through a tariff exemption process and using tariffs to achieve concrete commercial results for industry, Commerce has an opportunity to limit the negative impacts of duties and create new opportunities for US leadership in the global economy.”
The TIA also called on the new Commerce Secretary to support network resilience in the wake of high-profile cybersecurity attacks, like the Salt Typhoon hacks.
“These high-profile incidents underscore the importance of prioritising security in broadband deployment and existing networks,” Stehlin said. “Incorporating security into networks by building it into the design ensures that infrastructure is resilient against existing and emerging threats.
“This approach protects sensitive data and communications while enhancing network reliability and trustworthiness. TIA strongly advocates integrating robust security measures in ICT network design and implementation.”
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