Democrats' bill would subsidize Internet service

A group of House Democrats introduced legislation that would subsidize broadband Internet service for the poor. The Broadband Adoption Act, authored by Rep. Dorris Matsui (D-CA), would expand the Federal Communications Commission's Lifeline program, which currently pays for landline or cellphone service.

The bill is co-sponsored by House Commerce Committee ranking member Henry Waxman (D-CA), communications subcommittee ranking member Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and five other Democrats. Subscribers would have to choose whether they wanted to use the federal funds to cover landline service, cellphone service or Internet service. In an effort to reform the program, the FCC last year toughened its eligibility standards and created a database to ensure that multiple companies were not receiving subsidies to provide service to the same customer. The FCC claims the reforms saved $200 million last year and are on track to save $400 million this year. The Broadband Adoption Act would require the FCC to expand those efforts. Rep Matsui introduced similar legislation last Congress, but the Commerce Committee never took it up.