,,iv  #aac? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,h4 ,,res4 #ecf  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(     
,,repres5tatives  ,april #b1 #bjad ,mr4 
,latta 7= himself & ,mr4 ,wel*7 submitt$
 ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! 
,committee on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce         
,,resolution  ,express+ ! s5se ( ! ,h\se
 ( ,repres5tatives t telephone s]vice   
mu/ be improv$ 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ 
,/ates & t no entity may unreasonably   
discrim9ate aga9/ telephone us]s 9 ^?   
areas4  ,:]eas all p 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates  
rely on quality1 effici5t1 & dep5dable  
telephone s]vice 9 _m aspects ( life1   
includ+ conduct+ bus9ess1 secur+ !      
safety ( ! public1 & connect+ families2 
,:]eas multiple surveys conduct$ by !   
,national ,ex*ange ,c>ri] ,association  
reveal$ t compla9ts ( uncomplet$        
telephone calls p]si/1 ) ! mo/ rec5t    
survey 9 ,octob] #bjab indicat+ a #da   
p]c5t increase 9 uncomplet$ calls betwe5
 ,m>* & ,septemb] ( ! same ye>2 ,:]eas !
 ,national ,ex*ange ,c>ri] ,association 
& rural telecommunications c>ri]s 9     

,april #bjab suppli$ in=mation t--  7#a7
 #f4d p]c5t ( calls to rural areas      
fail$1 b only #j4e p]c5t ( calls to     
urban areas fail$2 &  7#b7 #aa p]c5t (  
calls to rural areas 7 ei!r poor quality
 or 7 delay$1 comp>$ to only #e p]c5t 9 
urban areas2  ,:]eas ! ,f$]al           
,communications ,commission 0 made aw>e 
( an issue reg>d+ telephone s]vice      
connection 9 rural areas 9 ,novemb]     
#bjaj & has s9ce issu$ a decl>atory rul+
 & a notice ( propos$ rulemak+ ) respect
 to ! issue & has rea*$ a settlem5t ) "o
 telecommunications c>ri]2 ,:]eas1 9 a  
decl>atory rul+ 9 ,febru>y #bjab1 !     
,f$]al ,communications ,commission made 
x cle> t block+ or o!rwise re/rict+     
telephone s]vice is a violation (       
section #bja7;b7 ( ! ,communications    
,act ( #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #bja7;b771  
:i* prohibits unju/ or unreasonable     
practices1 & section #bjb7;a7 ( t ,act  
7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #bjb7;a771 :i* outl9es ! 
duty ( a telecommunications c>ri] to    
refra9 f discrim9ation2 ,:]eas actions  

by ! ,f$]al ,communications ,commission 
h n significantly decreas$ ! preval5ce (
 telephone calls be+ r]\t$ by           
telecommunications c>ri]s & "s ,/ates   
are see+ an increase 9 compla9ts z (    
,april #bjac2 ,:]eas1 9 ,octob] #bjac1 !
 ,f$]al ,communications ,commission     
adopt$ a ,report & ,ord] & ,fur!r       
,notice ( ,propos$ ,rulemak+ 7,,fcc     
#ac-ace7 requir+ "s provid]s (          
long-di/ance telephone s]vice to record1
 reta91 & report call completion data to
 ! ,commission & prohibit+ all orig9at+ 
& int]m$iate provid]s f caus+ audible   
r++ to be s5t to ! call] be=e ! t]m9at+ 
provid] has signal$ t ! call$ p>ty is   
be+ al]t$2 ,:]eas telephone             
communications are vital to keep+ rural 
areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates competitive 9 ! 
economy1 & a l[ rate ( telephone call   
completion results 9 economic injury to 
rural bus9esses1 includ+ f>m]s1 truck+  
companies1 & suppli]s :o h se5 ?\s&s (  
doll>s 9 bus9ess lo/ :5 telephone calls 
are n complet$2 ,:]eas ! safety ( !     

public is at risk f a lack ( quality    
telephone communications1 includ+ #iaa  
s]vices2 ,:]eas s*ools dep5d on         
telephone calls to notify /ud5ts & p>5ts
 ( em]g5cies1 & heal? c>e c5t]s dep5d on
 telecommunications s]vices to save     
lives & to communicate ) rural pati5ts2 
,:]eas small1 local telecommunications  
c>ri]s are los+ valuable1 multi-l9e     
bus9ess subscrib]s because ( a lack (   
quality telecommunications s]vices1 :i* 
is f9ancially detrim5tal to ^? c>ri]s & 
adv]sely affects ! rural communities    
s]v$ by ^? c>ri]s2 & ,:]eas x may co/ a 
telecommunications c>ri] s]v+ a rural   
area hundr$s ( doll>s to inve/igate ea* 
compla9t ( an uncomplet$ telephone call3
 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x  ,t x is ! s5se ( !   
,h\se ( ,repres5tatives t--  7#a7 all   
provid]s mu/ appropriately complete     
calls to all areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates    
reg>dless ( ! te*nology us$ by !        
provid]s2  7#b7 no entity may           
unreasonably discrim9ate aga9/ telephone
 us]s 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 &

  7#c7 ! ,f$]al ,communications         
,commission %\ld--  7,a7 aggressively   
pursue entities ^: violations ( ! rules 
( ! ,f$]al ,communications ,commission  
contribute to a lack ( quality          
telecommunications s]vices 9 rural areas
 ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 & impose swift &    
mean+ful en=cem5t actions to disc\rage--
  7i7 practices lead+ to telephone calls
 n be+ complet$ 9 rural areas ( ! ,unit$
 ,/ates2 &  7ii7 unreasonable           
discrim9ation aga9/ telephone us]s 9    
rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 &  7,b7  
move =w>d ) cle>1 compreh5sive1 &       
en=ceable actions 9 ord] to e/abli% a   
robu/ & def9itive solution to           
discrim9ation aga9/ telephone us]s 9    
rural areas ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4