[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1651 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1651
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 7, 2025
Mr. Mullin (for himself, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Crapo, and Mr. Cramer)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Lowering Broadband Costs for
Consumers Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. LOWERING BROADBAND COSTS FOR CONSUMERS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Broadband internet access service.--The term
``broadband internet access service'' has the meaning given the
term in section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal
Regulations, or any successor regulation.
(2) Broadband provider.--The term ``broadband provider''
means a provider of broadband internet access service.
(3) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Communications Commission.
(4) Edge provider.--The term ``edge provider'' means a
provider of online content or services, including--
(A) a digital advertising service;
(B) a search engine;
(C) a social media platform;
(D) a streaming service;
(E) an app store;
(F) a cloud computing service;
(G) an over-the-top messaging service or any other
service that enables texting;
(H) a videoconferencing service;
(I) a video gaming service; and
(J) an e-commerce platform.
(5) Eligible telecommunications carrier.--The term
``eligible telecommunications carrier'' means a common carrier
designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier under
section 214(e) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C.
214(e)).
(b) Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers.--Section 254(d) of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254(d)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``Every'' and inserting the following:
``(1) In general.--Every''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Rulemaking.--
``(A) Initial rulemaking.--Not later than 18 months
after the date of enactment of the Lowering Broadband
Costs for Consumers Act of 2025, the Commission shall
complete a rulemaking to reform the Universal Service
Fund by expanding the contribution base so that
broadband providers and edge providers, except as
provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection,
contribute on an equitable and nondiscriminatory basis
to the specific, predictable, and sufficient mechanisms
established by the Commission to preserve and advance
universal service.
``(B) Revisions.--From time to time after the
rulemaking described in subparagraph (A), the
Commission may revise the rules adopted under that
subparagraph, as necessary, to ensure that broadband
providers and edge providers continue to contribute on
an equitable and nondiscriminatory basis to the
specific, predictable, and sufficient mechanisms
established by the Commission to preserve and advance
universal service.
``(3) Exempted edge providers and broadband providers.--The
requirement to contribute described in paragraph (2) shall not
apply to--
``(A) an edge provider that--
``(i) transmitted less than 3 percent of
the estimated quantity of broadband data that
was transmitted in the United States during the
most recent year, as determined by the
Commission; and
``(ii) earned less than $5,000,000,000 in
revenue in the United States during the most
recent year; or
``(B) an edge provider or broadband provider or
class of edge providers or broadband providers if the
revenue of the provider is such that the level of
contribution of the provider to the preservation and
advancement of universal service would be de minimis.
``(4) Broadband provider; edge provider defined.--In this
subsection, the terms `broadband provider' and `edge provider'
have the meanings given those terms in section 2 of the
Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act of 2025.''.
(c) Supporting Broadband Providers.--
(1) Adoption of mechanism.--Not later than 18 months after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall
complete a rulemaking to adopt a new mechanism under the high-
cost program of the Universal Service Fund that will provide
specific, predictable, and sufficient support for expenses
incurred by a broadband provider that is an eligible
telecommunications carrier in providing supported services to
the extent that such expenses are not otherwise recovered from
revenues earned from the assessment of just, reasonable, and
affordable rates on end users in high-cost areas or from other
universal service support mechanisms.
(2) Limit on eligible telecommunications carriers.--The
Commission shall ensure that not more than 1 eligible
telecommunications carrier for any area receives support from
the mechanism adopted through the rulemaking conducted under
paragraph (1).
(d) Enforcement by the Federal Communications Commission.--
(1) Powers of commission.--Except as otherwise provided,
the Commission shall enforce this Act in the same manner, by
the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and
duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) were
incorporated into and made a part of this Act.
(2) Penalties, privileges, and immunities.--Any person who
violates this Act shall be subject to the penalties and
entitled to the privileges and immunities provided in the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.).
(e) Purpose; Rule of Construction.--
(1) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to direct the
Commission to require contributions to the Universal Service
Fund from edge providers and broadband providers and to modify
the high cost program to promote affordable and available
broadband.
(2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to provide the Commission with--
(A) any new authority over broadband providers; or
(B) any authority over edge providers other than as
described in paragraph (1).
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