Congress·In Committee·S. 3565

Congress targets leftover broadband funds for 9-1-1 upgrades, workforce training, and stronger networks

SUCCESS for BEAD Act

3 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Key Points

Lets states and territories use leftover broadband grant money for new competitive subgrants, instead of leaving it unused.
Sends leftover funds toward projects like fiber routes sold wholesale, internet exchange hubs, wireless upgrades, submarine cables, and faster permitting for broadband builds.
Allows some of the leftover money to support targeted job training tied to telecom, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and electrical work needed to build and run networks.
Makes it easier to use leftover funds to plan, upgrade, or maintain modern internet-based 9-1-1 systems, with required coordination and cybersecurity planning.
Adds guardrails: bans using these subgrants to build or expand data centers, often requires a 25% local match, and creates a public challenge process to avoid duplicating existing fiber routes.

TelecommunicationsInfrastructureCybersecurityLabor EmploymentArtificial Intelligence

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Mixed Impacts(3)

Small Business Owner

Neutral

Gig Worker

Neutral

Military Active

Neutral

Positive Impacts(1)

Tribal Member

Helps

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Dec 18, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Dec 18, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Within 30 days after the bill becomes law

Commerce Department issues implementation guidance to states and territories

States get the rulebook for how to run the new “remaining funds” subgrant programs (what projects qualify, what paperwork is needed, and how oversight works).

After a state’s final BEAD proposal is approved and it has remaining funds

States start designing and launching competitive subgrant programs for leftover BEAD funds

Internet backbones, wireless builds, and other eligible projects can start applying for funds. The pace will vary by state based on how quickly their final BEAD proposals are approved and how much money is left over.

After guidance is issued and states choose this option

Workforce boards may receive faster, noncompetitive subgrants for targeted training

Some states can skip a full competition for certain workforce projects, which can speed up new classes, certifications, and hiring pipelines tied to broadband builds.

At least 14 days public notice + up to 30 days for the state decision, per challenged project

Public challenge windows occur before certain wholesale-fiber subgrants are awarded

If a state proposes a wholesale fiber route, existing providers can challenge it as unnecessary “overbuilding.” This can protect against duplicative builds, but it can also delay projects by weeks.

Before Commerce approves use of remaining funds for NG9-1-1 projects

Next Generation 9-1-1 projects require statewide coordination plans and certifications

If your state uses leftover BEAD funds for NG9-1-1, it must coordinate with local 9-1-1 centers and adopt interoperability and cybersecurity practices. This can improve reliability, but it may add planning time before new features (like text/photo to 9-1-1) are fully available.

After each funded project is completed, for up to 24 months

Some subgrants can pay for operations and maintenance for up to 24 months after a project finishes

New network assets (or upgraded systems) may be less likely to fail early due to lack of upkeep money, but the bill caps this support at 15% of the subgrant.