Iowa House Members Urge FCC to Increase USF High-Cost Funding
Rep. David Young, R-Iowa, and the three other members of the state's House delegation urged the FCC Monday to increase funding for the USF high-cost program amid concerns it remains “underfunded” in FY 2019. The FCC committed in March to…
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a $540 million infusion to “help address the funding shortfall” in the program, but there remains a need to “set the budget to meet current demand levels and keep pace with inflation going forward” given the high-cost program's funding has remained level since 2011, the House members wrote Pai: “This lack of funding could lead to a shortfall of nearly $11 million” in Iowa, which “will require providers to postpone or cancel broadband investments, reduce the availability of rural broadband and threaten to increase consumer rates on rural areas.” Pai "received the letter and is reviewing it," an FCC spokesman said.