FCC Commisioner Carr, in a statement concerning a recent GAO report, decried the lack of any unified national strategy on broadband deployment and funding. He pointed to the over 100 current federal broadband programs that are being administered by 15 different agencies.
He has openly expressed his doubts over the last year concerning the lack of oversight and coordination in regard to federal expenditures for broadband funding.
We understand Commisioner Carr’s concerns. It is time—actually, well past time – to put one federal agency in charge of this very important effort. The FCC and NTIA seem the logical choices, but choosing one over the other might lead to a Washington style turf war.
Bringing advanced, high quality broadband service to rural, agrarian, small town, remote and neglected urban America is a daunting enough task in and of itself. We should put this very important effort under the leadership of one agency, despite any ruffled feathers.
We hope our leaders can agree that it is far more important to bring broadband to as much of our country as possible, rather than engaging in petty politics and turf protection.
