Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act of 2025
House Bill Would Make Big Tech Help Fund Universal Broadband Access
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
↔Companion bill: Congress Proposes Requiring Big Tech and Internet Companies to Fund Rural Broadband ExpansionLegislative Progress
Key Points
- Congress would require the Federal Communications Commission to change who pays into the Universal Service Fund, adding broadband providers and large online platforms (like streaming, search, social media, and cloud).
- The goal is to ease the cost pressure that can show up on consumers’ phone and internet bills by spreading the funding responsibility to more companies.
- Small edge providers would be exempt if they carried under 3% of U.S. broadband data and made under $5 billion in U.S. revenue, and very small “de minimis” contributors could also be exempt.
- The bill also tells the FCC to create a new support program for high-cost areas to help eligible broadband companies cover costs that can’t be recovered through affordable customer rates.
- The FCC would have 18 months after the bill becomes law to finish the main rulemakings, and it would enforce the new requirements using its existing powers.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
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Critics argue the bill, which they dub the 'Raising Communications Costs for Taxpayers Act,' would lead to higher app prices and less free content by taxing 'edge providers' like search engines and streaming services to fund the Universal Service Fund.
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The legislation directs the FCC to require edge and broadband providers to contribute to the Universal Service Fund (USF), aiming to reduce the financial burden on consumers and rural providers while strengthening broadband access in rural America.
The Universal Service Fund is stuck in its own Groundhog Day
The Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act would see providers that account for more than 3% of total U.S. annual internet traffic and earn more than $5 billion in annual revenue contribute to the USF, though similar past efforts have struggled to gain traction.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act of 2025
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(22)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.