Sen. Murray Blasts Lutnick on Cuts to Digital Equity Program

WASHINGTON, June 5, 2025 – Sen. Patty Murray , D-Wash., Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, rebuked Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick during a hearing Wednesday for the decision to defund the Digital Equity Act.

The Democratic senator, who helped draft the Digital Equity Act, berated Lutnick for the Trump Administration halting billions of dollars directed toward the Digital Equity Act on account of it being unconstitutional. Murray denied the Act’s unconstitutionality, stating the __$2.5 billion Act, which passed with solid bipartisan support, has helped close the digital divide by allowing Americans access to the internet and technology.

Murray directly questioned Lutnick whether the Supreme Court had declared the law unconstitutional, in which Lutnick responded, “It will go through the courts and the courts will decide.”

Murray then shot back, “No one has declared this unconstitutional—no one. Your job, Mr. Secretary, is to carry out the law that Congress has passed. You don't get to keep laptops from our kids because the president doesn't care about kids in rural communities.”

Murray concluded, urging Lutnick _to get the money for the Act_through, stating, “It is a law and it is not unconstitutional.”

After a short pause, Lutnick responded, “I hear you.”