WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 18, 2025 – INCOMPAS, the competitive communications and AI infrastructure association, released the following statement in response to Senator Roger Wicker and Senator Shelley Moore Capito’s introduction of the Supporting U.S. Critical Connectivity and Economic Strategy and Security (SUCCESS) for BEAD Act.
The following statement can be attributed to Chip Pickering, CEO at INCOMPAS:
“I applaud Senator Wicker and Senator Capito for their visionary leadership in introducing the SUCCESS for BEAD Act. This legislation directly addresses America’s urgent need to outpace global competitors, such as China, in the critical AI race. By taking decisive action to ensure American leadership and strategically directing remaining BEAD funds towards the infrastructure that will power our AI future, Senators Wicker and Capito recognize what INCOMPAS members understand from building networks every day: the AI race and the broadband race are inseparable. From subsea cable systems to wholesale fiber and internet exchange points, this AI-enabling infrastructure is laying the foundation for future AI deployment and scaling.
The SUCCESS for BEAD Act represents a powerful use of funding that is consistent with the administration’s AI executive order and is critical to promoting and incentivizing a national AI framework, workforce and innovative state AI initiatives. The bill’s strategic vision creates AI connectors and corridors that will not only help bridge national security priorities, but also link strategic research centers, military installations, national laboratories, and major hubs of data centers and energy that will power the future of the American economy—many of which will be located in rural and remote sections of the country.
With the connection of data center and energy hubs, we anticipate a resurgence of advanced manufacturing at the intersection of telecommunications and AI infrastructure. This convergence will not only strengthen our digital backbone but also revitalize American manufacturing capabilities essential to our economic competitiveness.
I’m especially encouraged by the bill’s comprehensive approach to infrastructure readiness. By directing resources toward training programs in telecommunications, AI, cybersecurity, and electrical distribution sectors, the SUCCESS for BEAD Act addresses the critical challenge of finding qualified workers to build and maintain next-generation infrastructure. Equally important, the bill recognizes that this infrastructure must serve our nation’s most vital needs through support for Next Generation 9-1-1 implementation and network hardening, ensuring that our communications systems advance both economic competitiveness and national security imperatives.
Expanding broadband access, building AI-ready infrastructure and workforce are not competing goals, they are mutually reinforcing priorities and essential to maintaining America’s competitive edge in both the present and future.”
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