,,iii  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session   
,s4 ,,res4 #aeg  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,may #bc1 #bjac ,ms4  
,klobu*> 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,johnson ( ,s\?
 ,dakota1 ,mrs4 ,fis*]1 ,mr4 ,s&]s1 ,mr4
 ,leahy1 ,mr4 ,m]kley1 ,mrs4 ,box]1 ,mr4
 ,pryor1 ,mr4 ,grassley1 ,mr4 ,boozman1 
,mr4 ,enzi1 ,ms4 ,baldw91 & ,mr4 ,?une7 
submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0     
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,comm]ce1     
,sci5ce1 & ,transportation  ,,resolution
  ,express+ ! s5se ( ! ,s5ate 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 ,:]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 ( !   
,s5ate 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$]al         
,communications ,commission %\ld--  7,a7
 aggressively pursue ^? t violate !     
rules ( ! ,f$]al ,communications        
,commission & create ^! problems1 &     
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