Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and John Thune (R-SD), Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband, created a bipartisan Senate working group to evaluate and propose potential reforms to the Universal Service Fund (USF). The goal is to create a forum to guide education, awareness, and policy-making on this topic. Joining Luján and Thune are fellow Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Jerry Moran (R-KS).
Specifically, the working group will consider the current state of the USF requirements at the FCC and consider possible reforms to ensure the Commission is able to achieve its mission to promote and preserve universal service to everyone in the U.S. The group was formed in concert with a hearing that examined the need for connectivity in rural areas, Inside Towers reported.
“Every community deserves a pathway to an affordable, resilient, and secure internet connection, and strengthening the Universal Service Fund is a key part of delivering our promise to connect every corner of America,” said Luján.
“Universal service is a bipartisan principle that has been the bedrock of our nation’s communications policies for nearly 90 years, and programs that efficiently and effectively strengthen its underlying goal have contributed to advancements in health care, education, and economic development,” said Thune.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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