Cellphone subsidies block fails in House

The House failed to pass a bill that would block federal subsidies from paying for cellphone service for poor people.

The bill, called the End Taxpayer Funded Cell Phones Act, failed to pass under suspension of the rules, 207-143. Suspension bills must get a two-thirds majority to pass. They are generally brought to the floor only when the House's Republican leaders believe they will succeed. The bill also did not receive a simple majority of House members. The bill would have made it impossible for wireless carriers to receive the Federal Communications Commission's Lifeline subsidies to provide either voice or Internet service to low-income people.