Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) is relaunching a bipartisan group Thursday to weigh changes to a government program that helps pay for internet in rural areas, schools and libraries.
The revival of the working group on the Universal Service Fund, of which Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M) will be the Senate Democratic lead, comes as lawmakers await a Supreme Court ruling on the program’s constitutionality. The ruling could potentially be in the coming weeks.
“Our goal is to evaluate broadband programs and the USF to help support the mission of connecting unserved and underserved communities across the country,” Fischer said in a statement.
Fischer and Luján are, respectively, chair and ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee’s telecom subcommittee. Their House counterparts — Reps. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) and Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) — will lead the group for their chamber.
The working group aims to “close the digital divide with solutions that support sustained access to universal connectivity while improving interagency coordination and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse,” according to an announcement.
Fischer, who is taking over the group from Senate Majority Leader John Thune, is also planning to open the group up for formal comments on USF in the next few weeks.
Under Thune, the working group sought extensive comments on USF, including how to measure its effectiveness, whether it’s sufficiently transparent, how to ensure enough money in the program and who should pay.
USF and rural connectivity in general have bipartisan support. Still, the fund, which is administered by the Federal Communications Commission and paid for by a fee on telecom providers, has determined foes.
Last year, a conservative group won an appeals court ruling saying that the program violates the Constitution.
The Supreme Court heard arguments on that question in March, though the justices appeared ready to uphold the subsidies. FCC Chair Brendan Carr, who’s urged that Big Tech platforms pay the USF fees, notably sidestepped when we asked him if he wanted the Supreme Court to keep the fund alive.
When the high court hears arguments in March, it often rules in June.
Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) will also be part of the working group.
