Rep Terry Sees Role For Congress On USF Despite FCC Action

Rep. Lee Terry (R-Nebraska) will move ahead with legislation that would overhaul the universal service fund, which subsidizes telecommunications in rural and high-cost areas, even though the Federal Communications Commission is moving forward on its own reform effort.

Rep Terry was given the go ahead this week to begin working on the issue by House Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), "It's on the to-do list" for this Congress, said Rep Terry, vice chairman of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee. When asked if Congress needs to act given that the FCC has indicated it will take on the issue, Rep Terry said there are issues that the FCC can not tackle without legislative authority. He said they include expanding the pool of contributors who pay into the USF.