,,iv  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,h4 ,,res4 #cdj  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,septemb] #aj1        
#bjac,ms4 ,matsui submitt$ ! foll[+     
resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee
 on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce  ,,resolution     
,express+ ! support ( ,congress =       
,national ,telephone ,disc\nt ,lifel9e  
,aw>5ess ,week4  ,:]eas "u ! direction (
 ,congress1 ! ,f$]al ,communications    
,commission 78,,fcc07 & ! ,/ate public  
utility commissions h jo9$ 9 a          
collaborative ef=t to make basic        
telephone s]vice m af=dable = !         
,nation's l[-income consum]s by provid+ 
a disc\nt2 ,:]eas ! univ]sal s]vice     
,lifel9e program (f]s trem5d\s b5efits =
 eligible consum]s resid+ 9 urban1      
rural1 suburban1 & ,tribal areas 9 !    
,unit$ ,/ates & makes basic telephone   
s]vice 7wirel9e & wireless7 m af=dable2 
,:]eas 9 #aihd1 #hj p]c5t ( l[-income   
h\seholds _h telephone s]vice1 comp>$ ) 
#ie p]c5t ( non-l[-income h\seholds1 &  
s9ce ! inception ( ,lifel9e 9 #aihe1 t  

#ae-p]c5t gap _h n>r[$ to #d p]c5t by   
#bjaa2 ,:]eas ! ,,fcc has re=m$ !       
,lifel9e program 9 rec5t ye>s to improve
 program effici5cy & combat wa/e1 fraud1
 & abuse to ensure t only eligible      
l[-income consum]s are receiv+ ?is vital
 support1 includ+ a requirem5t t e      
recipi5t %[ pro( ( eligibility at       
sign-up & rec]tify eligibility on an    
annual basis2 ,:]eas consum]s %\ld n be 
)\t basic telephone s]vice due to !     
inability to af=d su* s]vice1 ?us !     
promotion ( ! ,lifel9e program is       
imp]ative to ensure t all ,unit$ ,/ates 
consum]s h access to af=dable basic     
telephone s]vice & ! b5efits 9 an       
em]g5cy t su* s]vice provides2 ,:]eas   
,act+ ,,fcc ,*airwoman ,mignon ,clyburn 
/at$ on ,april #bc1 #bjac1 ,^? :o c     
b5efit ! mo/ f high-spe$ ,int]net %\ld h
 ! means to pur*ase x1 b :5 !y don't1 n 
only is x n fair1 ! negative impact on  
our society & economy is immeasurable42 
,:]eas accord+ to ! ,pew ,rese>* ,c5t]  
,home ,broadb& #bjac ,report1 ne>ly #a 9

 #c ,unit$ ,/ates citiz5s /ill d n      
subscribe to broadb& s]vices at home2   
,:]eas ! ,national ,broadb& ,plan f\nd t
 #cf p]c5t ( non-adopt]s1 or #bh1jjj1jjj
 ,unit$ ,/ates citiz5s1 said !y d n h   
home broadb& s]vice because ( ! co/ ( ! 
s]vice1 ! co/ ( ! in/allation ( !       
s]vice1 or ! co/ ( a comput]2 ,:]eas !  
,national ,broadb& ,plan1 z a c5tral    
recomm5dation to increase broadb&       
adoption rates1 recomm5ds ! expansion ( 
,l9k-,up & ,lifel9e = univ]sal broadb&  
adoption to help bridge ! digital       
divide2 ,:]eas ! ,,fcc has laun*$ a     
broadb& pilot program to te/ diff]5t    
ways to bridge ! digital divide s       
l[-income consum]s c h access to        
broadb&2 ,:]eas ,congress1 ! ,,fcc1 !   
,national ,association ( ,regulatory    
,utility ,commission]s 7,,n>uc71 !      
,national ,association ( ,/ate ,utility 
,consum] ,advocates 7,,nasuca71 o!r     
,/ate & ,f$]al ag5cies1 cities1 c\nties1
 organizations1 & telecommunications    
companies are committ$ to increas+      

aw>5ess ab\t ! availability ( ! ,lifel9e
 program & are enc\rag+ eligible        
consum]s to sign up = ! programs2       
,:]eas1 because millions ( ,unit$ ,/ates
 consum]s are /ruggl+ f9ancially dur+ ! 
rec5t economic d[nturn1 programs1 su* z 
! ,lifel9e program1 are ev5 m ess5tial =
 eligible l[-income consum]s to connect 
to & /ay connect$ to !                  
telecommunications network2 & ,:]eas    
,,n>uc & ,,nasuca1 9 coop]ation ) !     
,,fcc1 h jo9$ toge!r to designate ! fir/
 full week 9 ,septemb] foll[+ ! week (  
,labor ,day z 8,national ,telephone     
,disc\nt ,lifel9e ,aw>5ess ,week0 & to  
implem5t a compreh5sive outrea* plan to 
promote ,lifel9e aw>5ess & educate      
curr5t & pot5tial subscrib]s ab\t new   
eligibility rules & annual              
rec]tification requirem5ts by provid+ a 
disc\nt on mon?ly recurr+ *>ges &1 =    
eligible ,tribal cu/om]s1 on !          
connection fee z well3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x 
,t x is ! s5se ( ! ,h\se (              
,repres5tatives t-- 7#a7 ! national     

int]e/ ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates is s]v$ by     
fur!r outrea*1 education1 & p>ticipation
 9 ! ,lifel9e program by eligible       
l[-income consum]s2  7#b7 ! ,,fcc %\ld  
be comm5d$ = ef=ts to improve ! ,lifel9e
 program's effici5cy & address+ wa/e1   
fraud1 & abuse 9 ! program to ensure t  
vital ,f$]al res\rces are only go+ to ^?
 :o are truly eligible2  7#c7 ! ,lifel9e
 program provides a valuable s]vice to  
l[-income consum]s 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates2   
7#d7 ! ,lifel9e program %\ld be mod]niz$
 to all[ eligible l[-income consum]s to 
access af=dable telephone or broadb&    
s]vices2  7#e7 ! ,,fcc1 ,,n>uc1 &       
,,nasuca are to be comm5d$ = _!         
initiative 9 creat+ ,national ,telephone
 ,disc\nt ,lifel9e ,aw>5ess ,week to    
promote ,lifel9e subscrib]%ip2 &  7#f7  
,congress supports su* initiative across
 ! ,nation4