The Western Governors’ Assn. (WGA) urged Congress to ‘overrule’ t...
The Western Governors’ Assn. (WGA) urged Congress to “overrule” the FCC and fix the Universal Service Fund program for rural areas served by mixed urban and rural carriers. In a letter to Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. McCain (R-Ariz.) and…
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House Commerce Committee Chmn. Barton (R-Tex.), the WGA urged Congress to examine the distribution formula for so- called “non-rural” carriers because 40 states -- most west of the Mississippi -- receive no assistance from the non-rural program. Although there have been minor changes in the program, “many sparsely populated rural states will receive no support,” the governors wrote. Legislation is pending in the House and Senate to change the distribution of universal service funds for non-rural carriers. The Bells are among non-rural carriers whose territories include rural areas, and Qwest has been particularly active in advocating changing fund distribution.