H.R. 4032

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4032 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

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. Rogers 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 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.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 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:
(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 provider'' means a 
provider of online content or services, 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.
(5) Eligible telecommunications carrier.--The term 
``eligible telecommunications carrier'' means a common carrier 
designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier under 
section 214(e) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 
214(e)).
(b) Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers.--Section 254(d) of the 
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254(d)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``Every'' and inserting the following:
``(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 subsection, 
contribute on an equitable and nondiscriminatory basis 
to the specific, predictable, and sufficient mechanisms 
established by the Commission to preserve and advance 
universal service.
``(B) Revisions.--From time to time after the 
rulemaking described in subparagraph (A), the 
Commission may revise the rules adopted under that 
subparagraph, as necessary, to ensure that broadband 
providers and edge providers continue to contribute on 
an equitable and nondiscriminatory basis to the 
specific, predictable, and sufficient mechanisms 
established by the Commission to preserve and advance 
universal service.
``(3) Exempted edge providers and broadband providers.--The 
requirement to contribute described in paragraph (2) shall not 
apply to--
``(A) an edge provider that--
``(i) transmitted less than 3 percent of 
the estimated quantity of broadband data that 
was transmitted in the United States during the 
most recent year, as determined by the 
Commission; and
``(ii) earned less than $5,000,000,000 in 
revenue in the United States during the most 
recent year; or
``(B) an edge provider or broadband provider 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 program of the Universal Service Fund that will provide 
specific, predictable, and sufficient support for expenses 
incurred by a broadband provider that is an eligible 
telecommunications carrier in providing supported 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.
(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 Communications Commission.--
(1) Powers of commission.--Except as otherwise 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 
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) were 
incorporated into and made a part of this Act.
(2) Penalties, privileges, and immunities.--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 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 providers; or
(B) any authority over edge providers other than as 
described in paragraph (1).
<all>