I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4032 
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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 17, 2025 
Mr. FEENSTRA (for himself, Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ, Mr. MANN, Mr. ROG-
ERS of Kentucky, and Ms. STANSBURY) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To require the Federal Communications Commission to en-
sure 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 Representa-
tives 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: 
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(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 pro-
vider’’ means a provider of online content or serv-
ices, 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. 
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(5) 
ELIGIBLE
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
CAR-
RIER.—The term ‘‘eligible telecommunications car-
rier’’ means a common carrier designated as an eli-
gible telecommunications carrier under section 
214(e) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
U.S.C. 214(e)). 
(b) LOWERING
BROADBAND
COSTS
FOR
CON-
SUMERS.—Section 254(d) of the Communications Act of 
1934 (47 U.S.C. 254(d)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Every’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(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 sub-
section, contribute on an equitable and non-
discriminatory basis to the specific, predictable, 
and sufficient mechanisms established by the 
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‘‘(B) an edge provider or broadband pro-
vider 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 pro-
gram of the Universal Service Fund that will provide 
specific, predictable, and sufficient support for ex-
penses incurred by a broadband provider that is an 
eligible telecommunications carrier in providing sup-
ported 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. 
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(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 COMMUNICA-
TIONS COMMISSION.— 
(1) POWERS OF COMMISSION.—Except as other-
wise 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 Commu-
nications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) were 
incorporated into and made a part of this Act. 
(2) PENALTIES, PRIVILEGES, AND
IMMUNI-
TIES.—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 
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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 pro-
viders; or 
(B) any authority over edge providers 
other than as described in paragraph (1). 
Æ 
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