On May 31, 2019, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on creating a budget cap on the overall Universal Service Fund. The FCC "…seeks comment on combining the E-Rate and Rural Healthcare Program caps. Schools, libraries, and healthcare facilities increasingly offer important community resources over their broadband networks. Combining the program caps may be justifiable given that both programs promote the use of advanced services to anchor institutions that have similar needs for high-quality broadband services…"
Funds For Learning submitted comments in response to the NPRM arguing that the “master cap” proposed rules is looking for a solution to a problem that does not exist and would create enormous regulatory hurdles for any USF beneficiary to jump through which is unnecessary.
Funds For Learning’s NPRM response can be found here.
Other organizations that oppose USF Master Cap:
E-rate Management Professionals Association (EMPA)
Schools, Health, Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB)
Schools, Health, Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB)
The comment deadline was July 29 and the reply comments are due on August 26, 2019.
