April 29, 2026
Dear Member,
As you discuss the Farm Bill, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) would like you to consider defunding the Rural Utilities Service’s (RUS) broadband programs. As noted in an April 1, 2026, blog post, a May 10, 2023 Government Accountability Office report found 133 broadband programs spread across 15 federal agencies, and in 2022, now-Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr stated that up to $800 billion was available for broadband deployment throughout the federal government. As funding for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program begins to reach the states, unserved and underserved communities will be connected to broadband, and CCAGW suggests that the duplicative and ineffective RUS broadband programs are no longer needed. We appreciate your consideration of our request and would be happy to answer your questions.
Sincerely,
Tom Schatz
President, CCAGW