U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito and state broadband officials are turning up the heat on federal authorities to move forward with long-awaited broadband funding.
With critical resources sitting in limbo, Capito and Kelly Workman, director of the West Virginia Office of Broadband, are demanding that the U.S. Department of Commerce and other federal agencies act swiftly to approve the state’s application and release funding to expand high-speed internet access across rural communities.
At the center of the issue is the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. This $42.45 billion federal initiative, administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), is designed to help states build and improve broadband infrastructure in underserved and rural areas. However, West Virginia’s progress is being stalled by slow-moving federal reviews, and state leaders are sounding the alarm.
Senator Capito made her frustration clear in a recent letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, stating, “I am concerned that West Virginia may be told to move back from the 1-yard line to the 40-yard line after the review concludes.” She urged federal leaders to expedite the review process and get the program moving.
West Virginia has been a leader in pushing for broadband development. The state was one of the first to complete its BEAD challenge process, earning NTIA approval.
It was also among the first three states to launch its subgrantee selection process last August. According to Workman, the state has successfully met all the requirements, and the only thing standing in the way now is Washington’s delay.
“We were six weeks away from having our application approved so we could begin the work,” said Capito. “I’m very frustrated. West Virginia is ready to go. We’ve done everything asked of us — we’ve been leading. Now it’s time for the funding to follow.”
This delay is more than a bureaucratic headache. It risks allowing other states, which lagged behind, to catch up and compete for the same federal dollars. Years of diligent work by West Virginia officials could be undone simply because of an administrative bottleneck.
Capito and others worry that the federal government, in its efforts to clamp down on fraud and misuse of funds, may be swinging too far in the other direction — delaying crucial infrastructure projects and harming communities in need.
That concern is especially serious in a state like West Virginia, where broadband access is essential for education, healthcare, business, and overall quality of life.
“West Virginians have waited long enough,” Capito emphasized. “With your leadership, I hope they’ll finally get the broadband access they deserve. This could be President Trump’s and your greatest accomplishment for rural America.”
While Capito’s reference to former President Trump signals a political appeal, her broader message is clear: the time for delay has passed. The West Virginia delegation must continue to apply pressure until the funding is approved and work begins.
The state has done its part. Now it’s up to the federal government to deliver. The people of West Virginia are depending on it — and their leaders must remain relentless in the fight to close the digital divide.
