Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., is asking the Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to allow a broadband infrastructure program to move forward. 

Capito sent an open letter Tuesday to Lutnick asking he expedite a review of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.

Lutnick announced his review more than two months ago to “cut government red tape” and rip out what he called pointless requirements imposed by the Biden administration.

“In 2021, Congress created the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program to expand Americans’ access to high-speed internet,” Lutnick said in his announcement. “But, years later, because of the prior Administration’s woke mandates, favoritism towards certain technologies, and burdensome regulations, the program has not connected a single person to the internet and is in dire need of a readjustment.”

In her letter, Capito welcomed the removal of red tape but expressed concern that West Virginia would be required to have to redo significant portions of their application.

“As we have discussed, 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,” Capito said in her letter. “Many of the changes that should be made to the program can be made quickly, but as an example, reopening the subgrantee application process for ISPs could delay connecting rural Americans for another year.”

BEAD was created as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 to invest more than $40 billion to expand high-speed Internet access across the country. Some $1.2 billion has already been allocated to West Virginia.

Capito has made broadband expansion in West Virginia a top legislative priority in recent years. She said that when the review was implemented, West Virginia was just six weeks away from completing the application process. Capito is asking Lutnick to expedite not only the review and release of updated guidance but the program as a whole.

“West Virginians have waited long enough,” she said in her letter. “And I hope with your leadership they will soon have broadband access and this will be President Trump and your greatest accomplishment for rural America.”

Read the full letter below.