# 119-hr-1870: SPEED for BEAD Act

119-hr-1870, SPEED for BEAD Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-9] (R-NC); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1870
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-1870
- Congress: 119
- Title: SPEED for BEAD Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-03-05
- Sponsor: Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-9] (R-NC)
- Cosponsors: 22
- Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**Would streamline and expand broadband deployment under the BEAD program** by setting a clear gigabit standard, allowing any technology that meets performance, and limiting grant-related conditions and federal rate-setting. - Families and communities: Would treat any technology that meets the performance criteria as reliable broadband and defines gigabit as at least 1,000 megabits per second (1,000 Mbps), broadening which builds qualify. - Workers and trainees: Would add telecommunications workforce development as an eligible use of BEAD funds, opening federal support for training and hiring. - Local implementers and providers: Would let project applicants remove high-cost locations from defined project areas and still receive subgrants, and would bar grant conditions tied to wages, project labor agreements, union or local-hiring rules, diversity or equity requirements, network management rules like data caps, and certain letters of credit. - Program funding rules: Would require unused BEAD allocations, after deadlines, to be transferred to the general fund of the Treasury.

## Cosponsors (22)

- Rep. Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12] (R-GA), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Latta, Robert E. [R-OH-5] (R-OH), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12] (R-FL), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1] (R-GA), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Dunn, Neal P. [R-FL-2] (R-FL), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Joyce, John [R-PA-13] (R-PA), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fulcher, Russ [R-ID-1] (R-ID), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pfluger, August [R-TX-11] (R-TX), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cammack, Kat [R-FL-3] (R-FL), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23] (R-CA), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Houchin, Erin [R-IN-9] (R-IN), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7] (R-SC), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Goldman, Craig A. [R-TX-12] (R-TX), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Crenshaw, Dan [R-TX-2] (R-TX), 2025-03-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fedorchak, Julie [R-ND-At Large] (R-ND), 2025-03-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1] (R-IA), 2025-03-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1] (R-MI), 2025-03-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10] (R-NC), 2025-04-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14] (R-TX), 2025-05-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1] (R-VA), 2025-07-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Foxx, Virginia [R-NC-5] (R-NC), 2025-10-03T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Williams, Roger [R-TX-25] (R-TX), 2026-01-07T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Let bidders drop costly locations: benefit, medium. If a state defines a project area, bidders would be able to remove locations that make the job unreasonably costly. The state could then award separate subgrants for the removed sites. This could help smaller providers bid on the rest.
- Wider tech options for BEAD builds: benefit, medium. The bill would let BEAD projects use any technology that meets the program’s performance rules. Fiber, fixed wireless, or satellite could qualify if they pass the tests. It would also define gigabit‑level service as at least 1,000 megabits per second download. States would use this standard to judg…
- BEAD funds for telecom training: benefit, low. The bill would allow BEAD money to pay for telecom workforce programs. Training, apprenticeships, and similar programs could get funding. Workers who enroll could gain skills for broadband jobs.
- Unused BEAD money returns to Treasury: cost, medium. If a recipient does not use its full BEAD allocation by the deadline, the unused money would go back to the U.S. Treasury. States or other recipients that miss the deadline would lose access to those funds. This could reduce broadband buildouts where delays occur.
- Limits on BEAD bid conditions: mixed, high. The bill would bar BEAD officials from requiring rules on wages, project labor agreements, union status, local hiring, climate, network practices (like data caps), open access, or diversity/equity programs. It would also restrict certain letters‑of‑credit demands when a provider already runs simila…
- No price setting in BEAD projects: mixed, medium. The bill would stop the NTIA and states from setting or capping broadband rates or using prices to score bids. Two exceptions would remain: rate rules approved before enactment, or rate rules tied to a required low‑cost plan. Providers would have more pricing flexibility; consumers could see fewer…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-703: Main Street Tax Certainty Act
- 119-hr-38: Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025
- 119-hres-719: Honoring the life and legacy of Charles Charlie James Kirk.
- 119-hr-21: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
- 119-hr-425: Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act
- 119-hr-3699: Energy Choice Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-1870 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1870)

## Related
- [119-hr-703: Main Street Tax Certainty Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-703)
- [119-hr-38: Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-38)
- [119-hres-719: Honoring the life and legacy of Charles Charlie James Kirk.](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hres-719)
- [119-hr-21: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-21)
- [119-hr-425: Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-425)
- [119-hr-3699: Energy Choice Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3699)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1870 (as of 2026-04-21).