Digital First - Reporting for Duty
We all know about the ribbon cutting ceremony where a politician gives a short speech before pulling out the oversized scissors to cut the ruby red ribbon. All these events are full of pomp and circumstance, with media coverage and audiences of supporters celebrating ‘breaking ground’ on said endeavor.
But one thing usually happens the ceremony…the official’s attention moves on to the next thing. Rarely do the officials look back to see if that project went well or if the organizers are continuing to execute the plan properly to best accomplish the project’s stated mission. It’s just on to the next legislative fight, next speech, next committee debate, next story in the paper.
This is the central problem for any government project or initiative. Looking back is harder to do and it has less upside, politically. The painstaking process of accountability and oversight often don’t get headlines or make politicians friends. Instead, it can often cause headaches and uncomfortable questions.
This status quo is what makes Senator John Thune’s (R-SD) recent endeavor so interesting. This week he launched a “nationwide broadband oversight effort that will review numerous broadband programs spanning several federal agencies.” He sent a letter to numerous stakeholders, taxpayer watchdogs and public interest groups asking for their participation and input in this process.
As Sen. Thune points out, Congress has authorized an unprecedented amount of federal money to support the deployment of broadband in areas that don’t have connectivity on a bipartisan basis. Both Republicans and Democrats acknowledge there is a need for federal dollars to be utilized toward closing America’s digital divide.
Central to his letter is the need for vigilance in evaluating last year’s Congressional approval of “a $65 billion investment in broadband services, the majority of it going to the Broadband, Equity, Affordability, and Deployment (BEAD) program administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).”
The Senator also points out that beyond NTIA, numerous other agencies including the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) all play a role in advancing broadband services across the United States. As he notes, “the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently found that broadband funding is spread out over 15 separate agencies and more than 130 separate programs.”
As anyone can see, there are a lot of cooks in the kitchen - potentially creating redundancy, wasteful allocation of resources, or even lack of proper accountability. Instead of allowing a calamitous “broadband to nowhere” type event to occur, Sen. Thune is rightfully asserting his role as a leading voice in the Senate Commerce Committee to go through the receipts and ensure these resources are being properly used.
Our team at the Digital First Project also received Sen. Thune’s letter asking us to participate in this process. This is an exciting opportunity for DFP. We look forward to addressing his questions, convening other advocates to develop good recommendations and even meeting with his team to discuss their approach to these pressing issues.
We want to use our platform as a helpful resource. Advocating for policies that ensure proper stewardship of taxpayer dollars and promoting a market-based approach that will allow our nation to actually close the digital divide once and for all. This is a noble effort and we are eager to report for duty.
Read Full Letter Below - Or View PDF Here