H.R. 5550

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5550 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5550

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal 
Communications Commission to promulgate regulations requiring providers 
of broadband service to state the aggregate price for such service and 
prohibiting providers of broadband service from charging certain fees, 
and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 23, 2025

Mr. Harder of California introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal 
Communications Commission to promulgate regulations requiring providers 
of broadband service to state the aggregate price for such service and 
prohibiting providers of broadband service from charging certain fees, 
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 ``Lower Internet Costs Act''.

SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF AGGREGATE PRICE FOR BROADBAND SERVICE; CERTAIN 
FEES PROHIBITED.

Title VII of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 723. STATEMENT OF AGGREGATE PRICE FOR BROADBAND SERVICE; CERTAIN 
FEES PROHIBITED.

``(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Commission shall promulgate regulations 
that--
``(1) require a provider of broadband service--
``(A) to state the aggregate price for such service 
as a clear, easy-to-understand, and accurate single 
line item on the bill of a subscriber; and
``(B) if such provider communicates a price for 
such service in any promotional materials, to state the 
aggregate price for such service in a clear, easy-to-
understand, and accurate manner in such materials; and
``(2) prohibit a provider of broadband service from 
charging a subscriber a covered fee.
``(b) Requirements Regarding Statement of Aggregate Price.--
``(1) On bill of subscriber.--With respect to the statement 
on the bill of a subscriber described in subsection (a)(1)(A) 
(including a bill for a legacy or grandfathered broadband 
service plan that is no longer generally available to new 
customers), the regulations promulgated under subsection (a) 
shall--
``(A) if the aggregate price stated is introductory 
or otherwise limited to a period of time, require the 
provider of broadband service to state on the bills 
provided to such subscriber approximately 60 days and 
30 days before the end of such period--
``(i) either--
``(I) the length of such period; or
``(II) the date on which such 
period will end and the price charged 
will change; and
``(ii) the price that will be charged after 
the end of such period; and
``(B) permit the provider of broadband service to 
complement the aggregate price stated with an itemized 
explanation of the elements that compose such aggregate 
price.
``(2) In promotional materials.--With respect to the 
statement in any promotional materials described in subsection 
(a)(1)(B), the regulations promulgated under subsection (a) 
shall--
``(A) if the aggregate price stated is introductory 
or otherwise limited to a period of time, require the 
provider of broadband service to state in such 
materials--
``(i) the price that will be charged after 
the end of such period (calculated on the date 
on which such materials are made available to 
consumers); and
``(ii) the length of such period and the 
length of time for which the price described in 
clause (i) will be charged;
``(B) if part of the aggregate price stated 
fluctuates based on service location, require the 
provider of broadband service to state where and how a 
consumer may obtain the aggregate price specific to 
such consumer (such as electronically or by contacting 
a customer service or sales representative);
``(C) permit the provider of broadband service to 
complement the aggregate price stated with an itemized 
explanation of the elements that compose such aggregate 
price; and
``(D) specify that the requirements in such 
regulations with respect to such statement do not apply 
with respect to legacy or grandfathered broadband 
service plans that are no longer generally available to 
new customers.
``(3) Exclusions from aggregate price.--The regulations 
promulgated under subsection (a) shall specify other charges 
related to the provision of broadband service (such as taxes, 
administrative fees, and equipment fees) that are not charged 
for the broadband service itself and are not required to be 
included in the aggregate price stated under such regulations.
``(4) Application to bundled services.--The regulations 
promulgated under subsection (a) shall provide that, if a 
provider of broadband service bills for or promotes broadband 
service as part of a bundle with other services--
``(A) the statements described in subsection (a)(1) 
are required with respect to any charges for such 
bundle that are specific to broadband service; and
``(B) the prohibition on charging a covered fee 
under subsection (a)(2) applies with respect to all 
services that are part of such bundle.
``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Broadband service.--The term `broadband service' has 
the meaning given the term `broadband internet access service' 
in section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or 
any successor regulation).
``(2) Covered fee.--The term `covered fee' means, with 
respect to a fee charged by a provider of broadband service, 
the following:
``(A) A fee to cover the cost of compliance with 
State regulations and programs (commonly known as a 
`State cost recovery charge').
``(B) A fee to cover the cost of maintaining, 
building, or operating the network of such provider 
(commonly known as a `network access and maintenance 
fee', `internet cost recovery fee', `broadband cost 
recovery fee', or `network enhancement fee').
``(C) A fee imposed by a local government on such 
provider to compensate such local government for use of 
a public right-of-way (commonly known as a `local 
access fee').
``(D) A fee for the cost of technical support or 
repair of equipment (commonly known as a `tech assure 
fee').
``(E) Any other fee determined by the Commission to 
be charged for a purpose similar to a purpose described 
in any of subparagraphs (A) through (D).''.
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