Broadband Advocates Respond to Supreme Court Arguments on USF

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the consolidated cases Nos. 24-354 and 24-422, which will determine the future of the Universal Service Fund and the federal government’s ability to ensure affordable broadband access. The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition—a party to the case—and allied organizations, including the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, and MediaJustice, responded to the day’s proceedings with a renewed commitment to protecting critical access to affordable, robust broadband for anchor institutions and their communities. "The oral arguments today confirmed what we’ve long known: the Universal Service Fund is critical to delivering education, healthcare, and economic opportunity," said Adrianne Furniss, Executive Director of the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. "Congress gave the FCC clear authority to fulfill the promise of universal connectivity."