Congress Proposes Requiring Big Tech and Internet Companies to Fund Rural Broadband Expansion
A bill to require the Federal Communications Commission to ensure equitable and nondiscriminatory contributions to the mechanisms that preserve and advance universal service, to reduce the financial burden on consumers, and for other purposes.
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
↔Companion bill: House Bill Would Make Big Tech Help Fund Universal Broadband AccessSmall edge providers and broadband companies are explicitly exempted if they transmitted less than 3% of U.S. broadband data and earned under $5 billion in revenue. This protects smaller tech firms and ISPs from new fees. However, small businesses that rely heavily on large tech platforms (like cloud services or e-commerce) could see costs passed down to them indirectly if big tech companies raise prices to cover their new contributions.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
The article examines the urgent need to modernize the FCC’s Universal Service Fund (USF). It highlights how the current system unfairly burdens seniors and low-income households while allowing 'Big Tech'—the largest beneficiaries of broadband—to avoid contributing to rural connectivity costs.
Following a Supreme Court ruling upholding the USF, lawmakers are pushing S. 1651, the Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act. The bill targets 'edge providers' like search engines and streaming services to pay into the fund, though critics argue the costs will ultimately fall on taxpayers.
Lawmakers introduced the Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act of 2025, directing the FCC to require edge and broadband providers to contribute to the USF. The goal is to reduce the financial burden on consumers and rural providers while strengthening broadband access in rural America.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
A bill to require the Federal Communications Commission to ensure equitable and nondiscriminatory contributions to the mechanisms that preserve and advance universal service, to reduce the financial burden on consumers, and for other purposes.
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