Rosenworcel Eyes 1996 Telecom Act Revamp on USF
Congress and the FCC should “explore how to improve” the Telecom Act as a way to revamp “our system of universal service contributions,” acting commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in letters to Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss.,…
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and Communications Subcommittee ranking member John Thune, R-S.D., released Friday. The GOP leaders wrote Rosenworcel in February to raise concerns about long-term funding sustainability. The current USF funding mechanism “is based on assessments to the interstate portion of carriers’ end-user telecommunications revenues” that are “born out” of the 1996 law, Rosenworcel said. The FCC recognizes its “important responsibilities as a steward” of USF and its Wireline Bureau is exploring reinterpreting statute to allow program funding to be used for remote learning (see 2102080054). “We will be mindful” of the senators’ concerns, “including how this effort could complement other sources of funding, the need to engage in reasoned analysis by experts at the agency including the Office of Economics and Analytics, how to account for school needs in light of remote learning and re-opening plans, and how to develop smart programmatic controls,” Rosenworcel said.