President Biden Announces New Actions to Lower Costs for Americans by Fighting Corporate Rip-Offs

President Joe Biden is focused on lowering costs for hardworking Americans by taking action to end corporate rip-offs and other unfair practices that keep prices high. Under the President’s leadership, agencies across the Administration are working to promote competition, protect consumers, and lower prices. The Federal Communications Commission is circulating a proposed rule that would lower costs and increase choice for consumers by banning “bulk billing” arrangements, a practice by which landlords or providers charge everyone living or working in a building for a particular internet, cable, or satellite service, even if they don’t want it or haven’t opted in. These arrangements limit consumer choice by preventing tenants from choosing the services at the price point and level that are best for their needs, and can impose fees for unnecessary services and deter competition. In addition, the proposed rule seeks to address other exclusive arrangements between service providers and landlords that impede competition and drive-up prices, such as exclusive wiring arrangements, exclusive marketing arrangements, and certain revenue sharing agreements. Later this month the FCC will vote to finalize a rule to mandate all-in pricing for cable and satellite services. The FCC is working to restore net neutrality, which will prohibit Internet Service Providers from blocking legal content, throttling speeds, and creating fast lanes that favor those who can pay for access. The FCC also adopted rules that prohibit digital discrimination in high-speed Internet access based on income, race, ethnicity, religion, and national origin, which will protect civil rights, lower costs, and increase internet access for Americans across the country.