WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) and Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the bicameral Broadband Buildout Accountability Act this week to increase transparency and protect the billions of taxpayer dollars in broadband investment.

In 2023, the U.S. government invested $42 billion of taxpayer dollars in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Package (BIF) Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program grant awarded to the National Technology Information Administration (NTIA), which is currently exempt from transparency requirements under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The Broadband Buildout Accountability Act will remove the FOIA exemption and require proof of how the grant program spends the $42 billion to ensure taxpayer dollars are not misused. 

Congressman August Pfluger said, “It has become overwhelmingly clear that fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer dollars ran rampant during the Biden Administration. It is up to Congress to restore transparency, efficiency, and trust back to the federal government. I am proud to work with Senator Rick Scott on this commonsense legislation. The Broadband Buildout Accountability Act will provide greater transparency within the BEAD process, help Congress reverse Biden Administration policies that slow down deployment, and ensure that the $42 billion in taxpayer dollars in broadband investments are being properly used to close the digital divide across America.”

Senator Rick Scott said, “Americans deserve to know exactly how the government is spending their money and that it’s in their best interests. With President Trump back in office and committed to bringing transparency to the federal government and cutting down on waste, fraud, and abuse, we must act now to finally bring much-needed accountability on how every tax dollar is being spent. Our Broadband Buildout Accountability Act will increase transparency and accountability for a $42 billion grant, intended to bring internet to rural communities but has YET to connect a single individual using those funds in the four years it has existed. That’s a failure to the American people, who expect a return on their dollars. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and make it crystal clear to Americans how their dollars are being spent.”

Text of the legislation is available here.

Cosponsors in the House include Reps. Buddy Carter (GA-01), Neal Dunn (FL-02), Troy Balderson (OH-12), Randy Weber (TX-14), and Russ Fulcher (ID-01)

Cosponsors in the Senate include Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Curtis (R-UT), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Todd Young (R-IN), and Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS).