Moran, Roberts, Klobuchar Lead Senators' Letter to FCC Seeking High Cost USF Budget Fix

year (see 1710030074 and 1705020056). “Providers have continued to experience a significant reduction in support” from high-cost USF despite Congress' concerns, 39 senators wrote the commissioners. “While we recognize that a thoughtful long-term solution to the budget shortfall will take time and effort to identify and assess, many of the providers that serve rural consumers and businesses in our states have already begun to feel the pain of an arbitrary budget cap.” The FCC should act "as quickly as possible to ensure” high-cost USF “provides sufficient and predictable support to help deliver affordable, high-quality broadband to rural consumers,” they said: “At a minimum, we ask that you ensure that there is no reduction in funds allocated to or collected for the High-Cost program until you have reached a comprehensive solution.” The letter “highlights the continued dedication of Congress in making sure the USF mechanisms work as intended to prioritize consumers and close the digital divide for rural communities,” said NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield. The FCC didn't comment. The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition and 35 healthcare providers and telehealth networks sent a letter Wednesday to House Commerce Committee leaders asking them to back a funding increase in the FCC's Rural Health Care Telecommunications Program, which they said was "facing an unprecedented crisis" after applications exceeding a budget cap for both FY 2016 and 2017. "This shortage has resulted in health providers canceling or downgrading broadband connections and reducing services to the public. Several telehealth networks put their plans to expand into rural markets on hold due to the uncertainty around future funding," said an SHLB release. “This is a life and death issue for Rural America,” said John Windhausen, SHLB executive director.