Greater Oversight of Universal Service Fund Needed

The Government Accountability Office released a report questioning the Federal Communications Commission's oversight of the Universal Service Fund's (USF) High Cost program, a multibillion dollar, nationwide program aimed at ensuring affordable access to communications services in largely rural areas. The GAO finds that USF funding is distributed in a manner that may cause disparities in the availability of telecommunications services in different rural communities. GAO found that to strengthen management and oversight of the program, the FCC should establish short-term and long-term performance goals and measures. GAO also determined that the FCC should implement mechanisms to ensure that expenditures are cost-effective. The GAO report was requested by Reps. John D. Dingell (D-MI) and Joe Barton (R-TX), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Reps. Bart Stupak (D-MI) and John Shimkus (R-IL), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. The Members of Congress said the report highlights the need for a comprehensive review of the USF program.
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