Public Interest Advocates Defend Lifeline Program

In a letter to House Communications Subcommittee leaders Greg Walden (R-OR) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA), a dozen public interest organizations urged the panel to allow a recent round of reforms to take hold before precipitously altering this the Federal Communications Commission’s Lifeline program which provides modest, affordable, essential phone service to low-income households.

The letter was signed by the National Consumer Law Center, Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, the Benton Foundation, the Center of Media Justice, Connecticut Legal Services, the Low Income Utility Advocacy Project, the Legal Services Advocacy Project, New Jersey SHARES, Inc, the Ohio Poverty Law Center, Open Access Connections, Pro Seniors, and Springwire.

The groups argue that the Lifeline program:

• Provides Affordable No-Frills Voice Service
• Enhances the Network Effect
• Is a lifeline for the working poor and the unemployed
• Enhances the efficient operation of other assistance programs
• Helps the medical community provide care
• Is essential in emergency situations
• Has Undergone Serious Reforms That Should be Allowed to Play Out
• Recent surveys of wireless Lifeline customers show:
• Around half are over 45 to 50 years of age, with a substantial percent over sixty.
• Veterans participate.
• Consumers with disabilities participate.
• A large percent are unemployed or underemployed and use their Lifeline service to find work.
• Lifeline service provides access to healthcare.
• Lifeline service provides an introduction to wireless service.