The Horror

Republicans are horrified that the Biden administration is actually requiring that ISPs follow the law and provide low cost internet service to lower income subscribers.

The short version is that in order to issue grants to ISPs under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) the Biden administration is requiring that actual numbers being provided, as opposed to just making vague promises:

Republican lawmakers are fighting a Biden administration attempt to bring cheap broadband service to low-income people, claiming it is an illegal form of rate regulation. GOP leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee announced an investigation into the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which is administering the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program that was approved by Congress in November 2021.

"States have reported that the NTIA is directing them to set rates and conditioning approval of initial proposals on doing so. This undoubtedly constitutes rate regulation by the NTIA," states a letter to the NTIA from Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Chair Bob Latta (R-Ohio), and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Morgan Griffith (R-Va.).

As evidence, the letter points to a statement by Virginia that described feedback received from the NTIA. The federal agency told Virginia that "the low-cost option must be established in the Initial proposal as an exact price or formula."

The Republicans said anecdotal evidence suggests "the NTIA may be evaluating initial proposals counter to Congressional intent and in violation of the law." They asked the agency for all communications about the grants between NTIA officials and state broadband offices.

The US law that ordered NTIA to distribute the money requires that Internet providers receiving federal funds offer at least one "low-cost broadband service option for eligible subscribers." But the law also says the NTIA may not "regulate the rates charged for broadband service."

No, it means that the ISPs, and states, can't blow smoke up the regulators asses and make a mockery of the law.

Republicans believe that government cannot work, and they do their best to prove it.