[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1616 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1616

  Expressing the support of Congress for National Telephone Discount 
                        Lifeline Awareness Week.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 14, 2010

Ms. Matsui (for herself and Mr. Markey of Massachusetts) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the support of Congress for National Telephone Discount 
                        Lifeline Awareness Week.

Whereas under the direction of Congress, the Federal Communications Commission 
        (``FCC'') and the State public utility commissions have joined in a 
        collaborative effort to make local telephone service more affordable for 
        the Nation's low-income consumers by providing a discount on the 
        connection fee and monthly recurring charge;
Whereas the Link-Up America (``Link-Up'') and Lifeline Assistance (``Lifeline'') 
        programs offer tremendous benefits for eligible consumers residing in 
        urban, rural, and suburban areas in the United States and make basic 
        telephone service more affordable;
Whereas Link-Up provides an appropriate discount to eligible customers on the 
        installation of telephone service in their homes and Lifeline provides a 
        discount to eligible low-income customers on their monthly phone bill;
Whereas consumers should not be without local telephone service due to the 
        inability to afford such service, thus the promotion of Link-Up and 
        Lifeline is imperative to ensure that all United States consumers have 
        access to affordable basic local telephone service and the benefits in 
        an emergency that such service provides;
Whereas FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski stated on February 23, 2010, that ``. . 
        . in the 21st century, a digital divide is an opportunity divide. To 
        bolster American competitiveness abroad and to create the jobs of the 
        future here at home, we need to make sure that all Americans have the 
        skills and means to fully participate in the digital economy.'';
Whereas the FCC's National Broadband Plan found that 93 million Americans do not 
        subscribe to broadband services at home;
Whereas the National Broadband Plan found that 36 percent of non-adopters, or 28 
        million Americans, said they do not have home broadband service because 
        of the cost of the service, the cost of the installation of the service, 
        or the cost of a computer;
Whereas the National Broadband Plan, as a central recommendation to increase 
        broadband adoption rates, recommends the expansion of Link-Up and 
        Lifeline for universal broadband adoption to help bridge the digital 
        divide;
Whereas about \1/3\ of consumers eligible for Link-Up and Lifeline do not 
        participate in these programs, underscoring the need for increased 
        public education to inform United States consumers about Link-Up and 
        Lifeline;
Whereas Congress, the FCC, the National Association of Regulatory Utility 
        Commissioners (``NARUC''), the National Association of State Utility 
        Consumer Advocates (``NASUCA''), other State and Federal agencies, 
        cities, counties, organizations, and telecommunications companies are 
        committed to increasing awareness about the availability of Link-Up and 
        Lifeline and are encouraging eligible consumers to sign up for the 
        programs;
Whereas because millions of United States consumers are struggling financially 
        during the recent economic downturn, programs, such as Link-Up and 
        Lifeline, are even more essential for eligible low-income consumers to 
        connect to and stay connected to the telecommunications network; and
Whereas NARUC and NASUCA, in cooperation with the FCC, have joined together to 
        designate the first full week in September following the week of Labor 
        Day as ``National Telephone Discount Lifeline Awareness Week'' and to 
        implement a comprehensive outreach plan to promote Link-Up and Lifeline 
        subscribership: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the national interest of the United States is served by 
        further outreach, education, and participation in Link-Up and 
        Lifeline by eligible low-income consumers;
            (2) Link-Up and Lifeline provide a valuable service to low-
        income consumers in the United States;
            (3) the FCC should support conducting pilot programs to 
        gather data to design an efficient program for making broadband 
        affordable to such low-income consumers;
            (4) Link-up and Lifeline should be expanded to allow 
        eligible low-income consumers to access affordable broadband 
        services;
            (5) the FCC, NARUC, and NASUCA are to be commended for 
        their initiative creating ``National Telephone Discount 
        Lifeline Awareness Week'' to promote Link-Up and Lifeline 
        subscribership; and
            (6) Congress supports such initiative across the Nation.
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