#aaeth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,s4   
#hge  ,,an ,,act  ,to require the       
,comptroller ,general of the ,united    
,states to conduct a study and submit a 
report on filing requirements under the 
,universal ,service ,fund programs4  #a4
 ,study and report on filing            
requirements under ,universal ,service  
,fund programs  7a7 ,definitions ,in    
this section-- 7#a7 the term            
,administrative ,procedure ,act means   
subchapter ,,ii of chapter #e of title  
#e1 ,united ,states ,code2  7#b7 the    
term ,commission means the ,federal     
,communications ,commission2  7#c7 the  
term covered carrier means an eligible  
telecommunications carrier or service   
provider that receives universal service
 support under sections #bad7;e7 and    
#bed of the ,communications ,act of     
#aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #bad7;e7 and #bed7 
for the provision of service under a    
,universal ,service ,fund program2 and  
7#d7 the term ,universal ,service ,fund 
program means each program of the       

,commission set forth under part #ed of 
title #dg1 ,code of ,federal            
,regulations1 or any successor thereto1 
including--  7,a7 the ,connect ,america 
,fund set forth under subpart ,d of that
 part2  7,b7 the ,lifeline program set  
forth under subpart ,e of that part2    
7,c7 the ,e-,rate program set forth     
under subpart ,f of that part2  7,d7 the
 ,rural ,health ,care program set forth 
under subpart ,g of that part2  7,e7 the
 ,remote ,areas ,fund set forth under   
subpart ,j of that part2  7,f7 the      
,connect ,america ,fund ,broadband ,loop
 ,support program set forth under       
subpart ,k of that part2  7,g7 the      
,mobility ,fund set forth under subpart 
,l of that part2 and  7,h7 the ,high    
,cost ,loop ,support for                
,rate-of-,return ,carriers program set  
forth under subpart ,m of that part4    
7b7 ,study and report ,not later than   
#ah months after the date of enactment  
of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general 
of the ,united ,states shall conduct a  

study and submit to the ,commission1 the
 ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and 
,transportation of the ,senate1 and the 
,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of  
the ,house of ,representatives a report1
 which shall include--  7#a7 an analysis
 of the filing requirements for covered 
carriers participating in a ,universal  
,service ,fund program1 including any   
filings required by the ,universal      
,service ,administrative ,company2  7#b7
 an analysis of the financial impact of 
those filing requirements on covered    
carriers participating in a ,universal  
,service ,fund program2 and  7#c7       
recommendations1 if any1 on how to      
consolidate redundant filing            
requirements for covered carriers       
participating in a ,universal ,service  
,fund program4  7c7 ,rulemaking  7#a7   
,new or ongoing rulemaking ,except as   
provided in paragraph 7#c71 not later   
than #fj days after the date on which   
the report is submitted under subsection
 7b71 the ,commission shall--  7,a7 7i7 

initiate a rulemaking to consolidate    
redundant filing requirements for       
covered carriers participating in a     
,universal ,service ,fund program2 and  
7ii7 incorporate into the rulemaking    
under clause 7i71 and as part of that   
rulemaking seek comment on1 the         
recommendations described in subsection 
7b77#c71 if any1 except to the extent   
that doing so would violate the         
requirements of the ,administrative     
,procedure ,act2 or  7,b7 incorporate   
into an ongoing rulemaking relating to  
consolidating redundant filing          
requirements of the ,commission1 and as 
part of that rulemaking seek comment on1
 the recommendations described in       
subsection 7b77#c71 if any1 except to   
the extent that doing so would violate  
the requirements of the ,administrative 
,procedure ,act4  7#b7 ,waste1 fraud1   
and abuse ,in a rulemaking in which the 
,commission is required under paragraph 
7#a7 to seek comment on the             
recommendations described in subsection 

7b77#c71 if any1 the ,commission shall  
also seek comment on and consider       
whether the benefit of each             
recommendation is outweighed by any     
potential increased risk of waste1      
fraud1 and abuse in the ,universal      
,service ,fund program affected by the  
recommendation4  7#c7 ,previous         
rulemaking ,paragraph 7#a7 shall not    
apply if1 on or before the date on which
 the report is submitted under          
subsection 7b71 the ,commission         
completes a rulemaking to consolidate   
redundant filing requirements for       
covered carriers participating in a     
,universal ,service ,fund program4      
,passed the ,senate ,january #aj1       
#bjah4,secretary