WASHINGTON, D.C. (NAFB) – Why is a federal agency that has repeatedly fumbled broadband grants being put in charge of massive new broadband funding in the Senate infrastructure bill?  That’s what one rural-state U.S. senator wants to know.

South Dakota Republican John Thune on the handling of a nearly five-billion-dollar 2009 broadband grant program by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

Thune proposed putting the FCC, with more experience and personnel, in charge of spending 42 billion dollars for deployment in the infrastructure bill, which also spends 14 billion dollars for low-income subsidies.

He complained NTIA sought volunteers to administer just 1.5 billion dollars in broadband grants this year.

Thune also complains the Senate bill gives USDA power to give broadband grants to communities where 50 percent of homes lack service, urging the figure be dropped to 20 percent to get service where it’s truly needed and reverse longstanding problems with the country’s deployment of rural broadband.