442 May 10, 2023 The Honorable Jessica Rosenworcel Chairwoman Federal Communications Commission 45 L Street NE Washington, DC 20554 Dear Chairwoman Rosenworcel, We write to express our concerns regarding the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Broadband Data Collection. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law in November 2021, included the largest investment in broadband deployment and adoption in U.S. history. This includes $42 billion in funding for the National Telecommunications and Information’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The BEAD program provides federal funding to states and territories for broadband deployment. BEAD prioritizes unserved locations and the FCC’s new Broadband DATA Act maps will be used to identify locations. Given the power of these maps, we have concerns that the FCC’s pre-production draft of the national broadband maps lacks the accuracy necessary to fully inform the state-level allocations for the BEAD program. It takes significant time and resources to review the map and prepare challenges to it. Governments, providers, and constituents in our districts report that they need additional time and assistance to fully adapt to this new reporting and stakeholder engagement process. Further, counties have found that engaging the public in the stakeholder process behind submitting the individual challenges is time-consuming and requires significant public education on how the Broadband Data Collection system works. If the status quo remains, the Broadband Data Collection process may not receive the stakeholder engagement that the Broadband DATA Act envisioned, and ultimately, critical funding may be misallocated and not reach the communities that need it most. To address these concerns, we respectfully ask for the following: • Strengthen your outreach to state and local governments on technical assistance to those interested in verifying availability and location data within their jurisdiction on a consistent basis. • Elevate public outreach and education opportunities for members of the public who would like to participate in the individual challenge process contained within the Broadband Data Collection process. • Clarify that enforcement action is possible against broadband providers that knowingly misrepresent their service or service areas. We understand that mapping broadband is not an easy task; but the maps must be right given the amount of money at stake. If funding is misallocated due to mapping issues, the unserved and underserved locations that the BEAD program prioritizes will be left unfunded and without internet access. We need to have accurate maps and accurate funding. Thank you for your consideration of this important matter. Sincerely, Jack Bergman Neal P. Dunn, M.D. Member of Congress Member of Congress Mike Ezell Blaine Luetkemeyer Member of Congress Member of Congress Glenn “GT” Thompson August Pfluger Member of Congress Member of Congress Lori Chavez-DeRemer Scott Franklin Member of Congress Member of Congress Kat Cammack Dan Newhouse Member of Congress Member of Congress Mike Bost Michael V. Lawler Member of Congress Member of Congress Nicholas A. Langworthy Brad Finstad Member of Congress Member of Congress Earl L. “Buddy” Carter Drew Ferguson Member of Congress Member of Congress Glenn Grothman Michael Waltz Member of Congress Member of Congress Laurel Lee Member of Congress