Cramer, Peterson Lead House Follow-Up to FCC on High Cost USF Budget Concerns
Reps. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and Collin Peterson, D-Minn., led a letter from 37 House members that urged the FCC to do a review of the High Cost USF program budget and proposed an interim change aimed at mitigating current budget…
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constraints before a review. The letter follows up on concerns lawmakers raised in May about USF (see 1705020056). “We strongly urge you to maintain level collections from telecommunications companies into the future” before the review or High Cost USF budget adjustments, the lawmakers wrote to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. “To the extent that the collected sum exceeds High-Cost USF spending obligations at the time, the FCC should directly apply funds to help mitigate or neutralize the budget constraints applied to these smaller, rural operators.” It's “currently unclear” how excess funds “may be obligated under existing budget instructions,” but “their continued collection has the potential to help provide rural communities with comparable broadband services for comparable rates relative to urban areas,” the lawmakers said. “In doing so, the country will move closer to the fund's stated mission.” NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield praised the missive.