Universal Service Reform Act of 2006

Bill: 109-hr-5072
Sponsor: Rep. Terry, Lee [R-NE-2]
Introduced: 2006-03-30 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Administrative remedies
Advertising
American Samoa
Arts, Culture, Religion
Broadband
Clinics
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Consumer protection
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Emergency Management
Emergency medicine
Federal Communications Commission
Fines (Penalties)
Fraud
Government Operations and Politics
Government paperwork
Government trust funds
Guam
Health
Health facilities
Health information systems
Hospitals
Housing and Community Development
Independent regulatory commissions
Indexing (Economic policy)
Information networks
International Affairs
Internet
Investment of public funds
Kidney diseases
Labeling
Law
Libraries
Marshall Islands
Micronesia
Northern Mariana Islands
Nursing homes
Oceania
Palau Islands
Puerto Rico
Rural health
School health programs
Secondary education
Technological innovations
Telecommunication industry
Telecommunication rates
Telephone
Telephone rates
Terminal care facilities
Territories (U.S.)
Virgin Islands

Summary:
action_date: 2006-03-30
text: 
Universal Service Reform Act of 2006 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 concerning procedures for the review of universal service requirements to require the Federal-State Joint Board on universal service to complete recommendations for changes to such requirements within 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act. Includes high-speed broadband services within universal service. Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to assess contributions to universal service support mechanisms from communications service providers, allowing a limit on the contributions of providers whose customers typically make a low volume of monthly calls. Provides: (1) support contribution limits; and (2) support to non-rural carriers providing service in rural, insular, and high-cost areas.
 
Outlines network traffic identification accountability standards, rulemaking, and enforcement requirements.
 
Requires the FCC, within 180 days after the enactment of this Act, to prescribe regulations that require a provider, upon a bona fide request, to provide communications services necessary for the provision of health care services in a state to any health care provider that serves persons who live in rural areas of that state.
 
Outlines eligibility requirements for communications service providers to receive universal service support, including (with a possible three-year waiver) that the provider meets basic requirements for the deployment and provision of high-speed broadband service.
 
Makes current limitations on universal service support and individual support caps imposed upon carriers inapplicable after the date of enactment of this Act.
 
Requires all residential and business lines served by an eligible telecommunications carrier to be eligible for federal universal service support.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-04-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
action_date: 2006-03-30
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2006-03-30
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2006-03-30
text: Introduced in House