[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 340 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 340

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 10, 2013

 Ms. Matsui 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 basic telephone service more affordable for 
        the Nation's low-income consumers by providing a discount;
Whereas the universal service Lifeline program offers tremendous benefits for 
        eligible consumers residing in urban, rural, suburban, and Tribal areas 
        in the United States and makes basic telephone service (wireline and 
        wireless) more affordable;
Whereas in 1984, 80 percent of low-income households had telephone service, 
        compared with 95 percent of non-low-income households, and since the 
        inception of Lifeline in 1985, that 15-percent gap had narrowed to 4 
        percent by 2011;
Whereas the FCC has reformed the Lifeline program in recent years to improve 
        program efficiency and combat waste, fraud, and abuse to ensure that 
        only eligible low-income consumers are receiving this vital support, 
        including a requirement that every recipient show proof of eligibility 
        at sign-up and recertify eligibility on an annual basis;
Whereas consumers should not be without basic telephone service due to the 
        inability to afford such service, thus the promotion of the Lifeline 
        program is imperative to ensure that all United States consumers have 
        access to affordable basic telephone service and the benefits in an 
        emergency that such service provides;
Whereas Acting FCC Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn stated on April 23, 2013, ``Those 
        who can benefit the most from high-speed Internet should have the means 
        to purchase it, but when they don't, not only is it not fair, the 
        negative impact on our society and economy is immeasurable.'';
Whereas according to the Pew Research Center Home Broadband 2013 Report, nearly 
        1 in 3 United States citizens still do not subscribe to broadband 
        services at home;
Whereas the National Broadband Plan found that 36 percent of non-adopters, or 
        28,000,000 United States citizens, 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 the FCC has launched a broadband pilot program to test different ways to 
        bridge the digital divide so low-income consumers can have access to 
        broadband;
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 the Lifeline program 
        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 the Lifeline 
        program, 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 Lifeline awareness 
        and educate current and potential subscribers about new eligibility 
        rules and annual recertification requirements by providing a discount on 
        monthly recurring charges and, for eligible Tribal customers, on the 
        connection fee as well: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) the national interest of the United States is served by 
        further outreach, education, and participation in the Lifeline 
        program by eligible low-income consumers;
            (2) the FCC should be commended for efforts to improve the 
        Lifeline program's efficiency and addressing waste, fraud, and 
        abuse in the program to ensure that vital Federal resources are 
        only going to those who are truly eligible;
            (3) the Lifeline program provides a valuable service to 
        low-income consumers in the United States;
            (4) the Lifeline program should be modernized to allow 
        eligible low-income consumers to access affordable telephone or 
        broadband services;
            (5) the FCC, NARUC, and NASUCA are to be commended for 
        their initiative in creating ``National Telephone Discount 
        Lifeline Awareness Week'' to promote Lifeline subscribership; 
        and
            (6) Congress supports such initiative across the Nation.
                                 <all>