- Trump Nominates NTIA Lead
- Is the Trump Administration Ending 18F?
- Broadband Bill Reintroduced in Senate
- Maryland Establishes Digital Infrastructure Group
- Free Digital Literacy Courses in California
- Cleveland City Council Approves Connectivity Funding
TRUMP NOMINATES NTIA LEAD
This week, U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated Arielle Roth to serve as the administrator of the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
Roth’s experience, according to her LinkedIn profile, includes serving as a policy director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and as legislative counsel for U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt. She has also worked for the Federal Communications Commission.
“Arielle did a great job as the telecom leader on my Senate team, and went on to learn even more working for Senator Cruz and the commerce committee,” Blunt said in a LinkedIn post.
Congratulatory statements regarding Roth’s appointment have also been made by AT&T, CTIA, the Wi-Fi Alliance, the National Association of Broadcasters, and the Satellite Industry Association.
NTIA is charged with leading the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program; Roth previously criticized its administration of the program at a Federalist Society event, alleging the existence of a “woke social agenda.”
However, BEAD has bipartisan support. It was enacted as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and therefore it was written into law by the U.S. Congress. As such, BEAD Program Director Evan Feinman previously told Government Technology he did not expect the new administration to impact the program’s continuation.
“So, this is a program that was always going to see changes, but the primary thrust of what it is that we’re doing is in statute,” he said. “As civil servants, it’s our job to faithfully execute those laws, and that’s what we anticipate doing.”
Trump halted the program with a Jan. 20 executive order, “Unleashing American Energy,” which called on all agencies to “immediately pause the disbursement of funds” appropriated through the BIL.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo on Jan. 27 to provide clarity, in which the agency reiterated that the temporary pause of activities was mandated to allow for review for activities implicated by Trump’s executive orders, including those related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Two days later, the OMB rescinded that memo with the issuance of another.
“We can confirm the money is flowing again after the Trump administration rescinded the freeze,” said a statementfrom the Washington State Department of Commerce following the Jan. 29 OMB memo.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement that the freeze “blatantly disobeys the law.” U.S. Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva said in a statement that the decision negatively impacts communities depending on these investments for infrastructure and jobs, underlining that this action violates the Impoundment Control Act of 1974.
As of this week, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan referred to the funding pause as “potentially catastrophic,” critiquing the lack of clarity on the timeline of the funding freeze and the attempt to seize the power to make funding decisions from “the only branch of government entitled to wield it.”
AliKhan issued a ruling that results in the policy being subject to two temporary restraining orders. However, questions remain about the long-term future of her order and the attempted policy.
IS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ENDING 18F?
The future of 18F, a federal digital consultancy that helps agencies implement human-centered design practices, is uncertain.
18F, part of the General Services Administration and funded through the agencies that contract its services, has completed hundreds of initiatives for 34 agencies in the 10 years of its existence, supporting agencies’ initiatives to enhance cybersecurity and user experience. Among other projects, 18F supported the Internal Revenue Service’s Direct File tax program, a largely successful program that has impacted tens of thousands of users.
In a Feb. 3 post on X, Elon Musk made a cryptic statement about the Direct File program. In the post, referencing 18F and Direct File, he stated, “That group has been deleted”; however, it is not entirely clear whether he was referring to 18F or Direct File. Musk was charged by Trump with leading the the Department of Government Efficiency, as established by a Jan. 20 executive order.
The 18F X account has been deleted, but its website and Direct File program appear to remain available.
BROADBAND BILL REINTRODUCED IN SENATE
Last week, U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker reintroduced legislation that would require NTIA to develop and to implement a national strategy to close the digital divide. This legislation, known as the Proper Leadership to Align Networks (PLAN) for Broadband Act, was introduced in August 2022 — and reintroduced in July 2023. In 2024, the House passed House Resolution 4510, which included the PLAN for Broadband Act as a provision.
“The PLAN for Broadband Act would prevent wasteful spending and help streamline communication and coordination between the agencies tasked with rolling out broadband initiatives,” Sen. Wicker said in a statement, arguing that broadband programs have been mismanaged in the past due to lacking coordination.
MARYLAND ESTABLISHES DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE GROUP
In state news, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has established a statewide digital infrastructure group by way of executive order.
The executive order, signed in January by the governor, acknowledges unprecedented demand over the past decade for efficient wireless communications and broadband services, arguing that constituents will be better served through the creation of a group dedicated to supporting the state’s digital information technology infrastructure.
The order calls for the establishment of a digital infrastructure group within the Department of Information Technology (DoIT), made up of officials from various state agencies, to coordinate this work. The DoIT secretary is tasked with designating the group’s chair. The order directs state agencies to cooperate with the new group.
FREE DIGITAL LITERACY COURSES IN CALIFORNIA
This week, the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) announced that it is offering free digital literacy courses with DigitalLearn, which is a collection of course materials for digital literacy training from the Public Library Association.
As part of the announcement, CETF noted that the first 10,000 participants may earn a $25 gift card if they complete a survey before and after taking the recommended courses. CETF has made informational videos available in English and Spanish.
CETF previously worked with the governor’s office to review digital literacy standards in the state and inform a strategy. CETF is a nonprofit organization with a goal of closing the state’s digital divide.
CLEVELAND CITY COUNCIL APPROVES CONNECTIVITY FUNDING
In local news, the Cleveland City Council has authorized $2.76 million in funding for DigitalC, a nonprofit organization supporting digital equity in Cleveland, Ohio.
“The Cleveland City Council’s decision today is a testament to the commitment of city officials to provide high-quality and affordable broadband to Cleveland residents,” Joshua Edmonds, DigitalC CEO, said in a statement.
The investment is part of a four-year program known as the PinnaCLE Connectivity Initiative. The organization is currently entering the second year of the contract with a plan to connect an additional 4,700 households by the end of 2025; the program connected 2,802 households in its first year. The organization also provides digital literacy training to support the community.
