[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 30 (Thursday, March 8, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S2082]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BURNS (for himself, Mr. Baucus, Mr. Daschle, Mrs. Lincoln, 
        and Mr. Dorgan):
  S. 500. A bill to amend the Communications Act of 1934 in order to 
required the Federal Communications Commission to fulfill the 
sufficient universal service support requirements for high cost areas, 
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 500

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Universal Service Support 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. REMOVAL OF IMPEDIMENTS TO SUFFICIENT SUPPORT 
                   MECHANISMS.

       Section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new subsection:
       (m) Removal of Impediments to Sufficient Support 
     Mechanisms.--
       (1) Removal of caps on high cost support mechanisms.--The 
     caps and limitations on universal service support contained 
     in sections 36.601(c), and 36.621(4) and 54.305 of the 
     Commission's regulations (47 CFR 36.601, [etc]) shall cease 
     to be effective on the date of enactment of the Universal 
     Service Support Act. The Commission shall not, on or after 
     such date of enactment, enforce or reimpose caps or 
     limitations on support mechanisms for rural telephone 
     companies or exchanges they acquire based on fund size or 
     other considerations unrelated to the sufficiency of support 
     to achieve the purposes of this section.
       (2) High cost support and nationwide average 
     calculations.--The Commission shall
       (A) calculate that portion of the high cost support 
     mechanism attributable to loops that have costs that are in 
     excess of 115 percent of the nationwide average under section 
     36.631 of the Commission's regulations (47 CFR 36.631) as in 
     effect in the date of enactment of the Universal Service 
     Support Act; and
       (B) calculate the nationwide average unseparated loop cost 
     for purposed of sections 36.621 (a)(1)-(3) and 36.622 of 
     those regulations (47 CFR 36.621 and 36.622) as in effect on 
     such date of enactment of such Act, taking into account the 
     elimination of caps and limitations of support pursuant to 
     paragraph (1) of this subsection.
                                 ______