FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS SUMMARY

The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) funding is appropriated by Congress to the FCC 

and signed into law by the President through the annual appropriations process. The Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No. 116-260 (the Act) (available at www.congress.gov and 

https://www.govinfo.gov/) appropriated funding to the FCC through September 30, 2021 for Fiscal 

Year (FY) 2021. The pertinent sections of the Act concerning the FCC’s FY 2021 appropriations are

provided below.

FCC FY 2021 Appropriations

Salaries and Expenses 

For necessary expenses of the Federal Communications Commission, as authorized by law, 

including uniforms and allowances therefor, as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 5901–5902; not to exceed 

$4,000 for official reception and representation expenses; purchase and hire of motor vehicles; 

special counsel fees; and services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, $341,000,000, to remain 

available until expended: Provided, That in addition, $33,000,000, shall be made available until 

expended for implementing title VIII of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 641 et seq.), 

as added by the Broadband DATA Act (Public Law 116–130): Provided further, That $374,000,000 

of offsetting collections shall be assessed and collected pursuant to section 9 of title I of the 

Communications Act of 1934, shall be retained and used for necessary expenses and shall remain 

available until expended: Provided further, That the sum herein appropriated shall be reduced as 

such offsetting collections are received during fiscal year 2021 so as to result in a final fiscal year 

2021 appropriation estimated at $0: Provided further, That, notwithstanding 47 U.S.C. 309(j)(8)(B), 

proceeds from the use of a competitive bidding system that may be retained and made available for 

obligation shall not exceed $134,495,000 for fiscal year 2021: Provided further, That, of the amount 

appropriated under this heading, not less than $11,326,800 shall be for the salaries and expenses of 

the Office of Inspector General.

Source: Division E-Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2021, Title VIndependent Agencies

SEC. 903. FCC COVID-19 Telehealth Program

(b) Additional Appropriation - Out of amounts in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there is 

appropriated $249,950,000 in additional funds for the COVID–19 Telehealth Program, of which 

$50,000 shall be transferred by the Commission to the Inspector General of the Commission for 

oversight of the COVID–19 Telehealth Program.

Source: Division N-Additional Coronavirus Response and Relief, Title IX-Broadband Internet Access 

Service, § 903
SEC. 904. Benefit for Broadband Service During Emergency Period Related to COVID-19

(i) Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund

(1) Establishment - There is established in the Treasury of the United States a fund to be known as 

the Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund.

(2) Appropriation - There is appropriated to the Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund, out of 

any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $3,200,000,000 for fiscal year 2021, to 

remain available until expended.

(3) Use of Funds - Amounts in the Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund shall be available to 

the Commission for reimbursements to participating providers under this section, and the 

Commission may use not more than 2 percent of such amounts to administer the Emergency 

Broadband Benefit Program.

Source: Division N-Additional Coronavirus Response and Relief, Title IX-Broadband Internet Access 

Service, § 904

SEC. 906. Appropriations for Federal Communications Commission Activities

(note: This language includes two separate sets of funds: additional funding of $65 million for the 

FCC’s responsibilities under the Broadband DATA Act and funding of $1.9 billion for the FCC’s 

responsibilities under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019.)

There is appropriated to the Federal Communications Commission, out of amounts in the Treasury 

not otherwise appropriated, for fiscal year 2021, to remain available until expended - (1) $65,000,000 

to carry out title VIII of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 641 et seq.); and (2) 

$1,900,000,000 to carry out the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 

U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), of which $1,895,000,000 shall be used to carry out the program established 

under section 4 of that Act (47 U.S.C. 1603).

Source: Division N-Additional Coronavirus Response and Relief, Title IX-Broadband Internet Access 

Service, § 906