Congresswoman Introduces Broadband Affordability Act
Sep 28, 2009
Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced legislation last week that would expand the Universal Service Fund's (USF) Lifeline Assistance program to help low-income citizens get access to broadband service.
Under the current USF program, low-income households that meet certain eligibility criteria receive discounts on their monthly telephone bills. Congresswoman Matsui's bill, known as the Broadband Affordability Act of 2009, directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to offer those same types of discounts for broadband Internet service.
In a statement announcing the bill, Rep. Matsui said that "to fully close the digital divide we must address the affordability of broadband services for lower-income households."
She cited statistics indicating that in her homestate of California, where Internet access is available to 96 percent of households, adoption rates are significantly lower among households that earn less -- only 58 percent of households making under $40,000 a year have Internet access at home, compared with 97 percent of households that earn $80,000 or more.
To qualify for the program under her bill, households would need to either have an income level that is at or below 135 percent of federal poverty guidelines or be participating in one of several federal assistance programs such as Section 8 housing, Medicaid, the national school lunch program or the government's supplemental nutrition assistance program.
Tags:
broadband, Congress, digital divide, Doris Matsui, FCC, USF
