Rep. Obernolte Introduces the No Lifeline for the Dead Act
This bill was recently introduced and is currently being reviewed by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. It is in the early stages of the lawmaking process and is considered active. There are no upcoming votes or hearings scheduled at this time.
This bill adds new requirements for a program that helps low-income families, which often leads to political debate. Most bills introduced in the House do not make it through the full process.
The bill explicitly restricts Lifeline eligibility to U.S. citizens and qualified aliens, permanently barring undocumented immigrants from receiving the phone and internet subsidy. While undocumented individuals were generally not eligible before, this codifies the restriction in statute and adds Social Security number requirements that make any access impossible.
“Only a consumer who is a citizen of the United States or a qualified alien shall be eligible for assistance under such program.”
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.
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
U.S. Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) on March 17 sponsored the No Lifeline for the Dead Act (H.R. 7963) to strengthen oversight in the FCC's Lifeline program. The bill requires all states to use federal verification systems and mandates re-verification of existing enrollees to prevent fraud.
The FCC is overhauling the Lifeline Program after discovering nearly $5 million was spent on services for deceased individuals, mostly in California. The move has sparked a conflict between FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and Gov. Gavin Newsom over the state's 'opt-out' verification system.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
No Lifeline for the Dead Act
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