|
 The
U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on Sept. 22nd approved the Rural Universal Service
Equity Act, which would deliver millions of dollars to more than 40 states for
investment in rural telephone networks. The Universal Service Fund (USF) is a
federal program to promote the availability of equality telecommunications services
at affordable rates throughout the nation. However, almost 70% of rural Americans
are served by one of 30, so called, "non-rural" carriers, serving both urban and
rural areas and the USF program for these "non-rural" carriers was unfairly managed
-- only five states consumes almost 90% of the funding. S. 1380 will fix this
problem.
"The
passage of the Rural Universal Service Equity Act by the Senate Commerce Committee
is significant triumph in that Congress agreed on the need of immediate reform
of current USF program," said Leroy Watson, Legislative Director of National Grange.
The next step would be for the entire U.S. Senate to take a vote on the bill.
On the other hand, the House bill, H.R. 1582, Universal Service Fairness Act is
now in the Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee. Thank
you again for your hard work. For
more information: National
Grange Action Alert 05/11/04: Rural Areas Deserve the Universal Service Fund (USF)
for Modern, Affordable Telecommunications Service! National
Grange Action Alert 03/04/04: Urge Congress to Fix the Universal Service Fund
(USF) for the Benefit of All Rural Americans! If
you have any questions or comments please contact Legislative Research Analyst
Chil-Sook Hwang by fax: 202-347-1091
or by phone: 1-888-4GRANGE, ext 109. Thank
you for your grassroots participation in the National Grange Legislative program.
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