EXCLUSIVE: Ernst, Cruz Introduce Bill To Recover Billions From Biden Boondoggle
Republican Senators Joni Ernst of Iowa and Ted Cruz of Texas introduced a bill Friday aimed at recouping savings from former President Joe Biden’s rural broadband initiative.
The $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program has not launched a single project since the bipartisan Infrastructure Act (BIL) was signed in 2021 by Biden, drawing Ernst’s attention in a November 2024 letter to former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, outlining up to 2,000 billions of dollars in savings. Ernst, who chairs the Senate DOGE Caucus, introduced the Recovering Excess Communications Appropriations While Protecting Telecommunications Upgrades, Reinvestment, and Expansion (RECAPTURE) Act after the Trump administration saved approximately $21 billion after making adjustments to the BEAD program. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: GOP Senator Sounds Alarm About Uncle Sam’s Rent on Massive Portfolio of Government Buildings During Shutdown)
“Despite the astronomical price tag, Biden’s broadband boondoggle failed to connect a single person to the internet before Trump took power and did the job cheaply,” Ernst told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Now that the program is operating more efficiently and at lower cost, I’m proud to introduce my RECAPTURE Act to save the American people billions. Providing fast, reliable internet to every corner of the country is more important than ever in the digital age, and I’m confident we can do it while racking up significant savings.”
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 1: Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) (C) and Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) (R) enter the Senate Chamber of the United States Capitol on October 1, 2025 in Washington, DC. The government shut down early Wednesday after Congress failed to reach a funding deal. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The legislation would require the $21 billion in savings to be returned to the U.S. Treasury and used to reduce the deficit.
“I am pleased to support Senator Ernst’s RECAPTURE Act to keep the BEAD program accountable and focused on its core mission of digital connection,” Cruz told DCNF. “By enforcing practical rules and triggering fair competition, the Trump administration is closing the digital divide faster and at half the cost. »
The Biden administration included numerous regulatory hurdles in its plan for the BEAD program, including requiring Internet service provider partners to participate in environmental initiatives and relying on unionized workers, among other requirements detailed in a 98-page document outlining a 14-step process for awarding the grants.
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 17: Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) (L) speaks alongside Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) (R) during the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing at the U.S. Capitol on June 17, 2025 in Washington, DC. The hearing titled “The Shame of WADA: Swimming in Denial of Chinese Doping” examined whether the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is effective in keeping events free of doping and performance-enhancing drugs at international sporting events. (Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
Ernst prioritized government waste during his two terms in the Senate. She asked Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to consider removing $14 billion from transportation projects that she called “a waste” in a letter sent Aug. 5, citing a July 30 report detailing those that were five years or more behind schedule or $1 billion over budget.
The Senate DOGE Caucus Chairman also addressed “Taxpayer Funded Time to Unite” (TFUT), which cost taxpayers at least $135 million in fiscal year 2019, according to Ernst. The senator detailed several instances where the system was abused, including when a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) employee used TFUT to start a real estate business.
Ernst also addressed issues related to federal employees telecommuting and unused office space and buildings owned or leased by the federal government.
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