H.R. 3118: To direct the Federal Communications Commission to revisit the universal service support program under section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse, and for other purposes.

H.R. 3118: To direct the Federal Communications Commission to revisit the universal service support program under section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse, and for other purposes.

112th Congress · introduced 2011-10-06 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

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Where it came from: introduced 2011-10-06 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Farenthold, Blake [R-TX-27] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

To direct the Federal Communications Commission to revisit the universal service support program under section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

Prohibits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from forbearing from requirements specified in the Communications Act of 1934 with respect to the designation of eligible telecommunications carriers (ETC) to receive support under the universal service support program. Directs the FCC, within 120 days, to suspend ETC designations received through forbearance of such requirements. Requires an eligible ETC, in advertising the availability of services supported by federal universal service support mechanisms, to specify that the service charges are more than zero. Requires that: (1) the amount collected to support such universal service each year be the same amount collected for FY2011, and (2) $500 million from such amount be transferred annually to the general fund of the Treasury and be unavailable for obligation or expenditure. Directs the FCC to complete a rulemaking with respect to programs that provide universal service support to low income consumers (commonly known as the Lifeline and Link-up programs) to: (1) ensure that service is supported for only one telephone connection per household regardless of whether the telephone is provided through landline or commercial mobile service, (2) identify and prevent duplicate reimbursements, (3) require ETCs to implement a 60-day inactivity policy for commercial mobile services, and (4) guide the Universal Service Administrative Company on the recovery of improper payments.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

To direct the Federal Communications Commission to revisit the universal service support program under section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Farenthold, Blake [R-TX-27] · 12 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Mike Kelly (R-PA), Andy Harris (R-MD), Virginia Foxx (R-NC)

Agencies named in this bill

Federal Communications Commission: its federal spending and other bills that name it

Found automatically: the agency's full official name appears in the bill title. A bill can affect agencies it does not name, so this list may be incomplete.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Obligation: A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112hr3118.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/hr>

Record fed-us-cong112-hr3118 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112