House, Senate Communications Leaders Relaunch USF Working Group
The leaders of the House and Senate Communications subcommittees said Thursday they're reviving the bicameral USF revamp working group, which had paused its work on legislative recommendations last year amid uncertainty following the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling in the Consumers' Research lawsuit against the program’s funding mechanism (see 2407300053). The Supreme Court heard oral arguments for its review of the case in March (see 2503260061). Working group members had considered melding the FCC’s lapsed affordable connectivity program with USF’s Lifeline program and keeping the latter’s narrower eligibility rules (see 2404170066).
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“Our goal is to evaluate broadband programs and the USF to help support the mission of connecting unserved and underserved communities across the country,” said Senate Communications Subcommittee Chair Deb Fischer, R-Neb.
Ranking member Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., also expressed his commitment. “I’m glad to once again join bipartisan, bicameral leaders to modernize and strengthen the USF and ensure it remains well-equipped to connect Americans no matter where they live,” he said. “I’ll keep fighting to protect this vital program for the communities that depend on it.”
House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., said that “by launching this bipartisan working group … we’ll gain the insights needed to ensure [USF] is reaching the Americans who need it most -- while also protecting it from waste, fraud, and abuse.” Ranking member Doris Matsui, D-Calif., noted that “the digital divide still persists, and the stakes for getting this right have never been higher,” adding that the group's goal is "to modernize and strengthen [USF], and ensure it continues to meet the evolving connectivity needs of all Americans.”
The Competitive Carriers Association, Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition and USTelecom hailed the working group’s relaunch.