House Democrats urged a focus on broadband adoption as the...

Commerce Committee Ranking Member Henry Waxman, D-Calif., Communications Subcommittee Ranking Member Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., and Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass. Matsui sent the letter Tuesday to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. The letter “makes the crucial point that in reforming USF, the FCC must give a greater priority to adoption efforts than it has in the past,” Aspen Institute fellow Blair Levin, author of the National Broadband Plan, said in a statement. “Some at the FCC have said that dealing with adoption now is ‘putting the cart before the horse,’ but if the current USF Reform effort results in excessive spending in high cost areas, as some have urged, we will have a lavish cart but no money for a horse, and end up stuck on the side of the road.” The FCC welcomes Matsui’s “leadership in support of broadband adoption and fiscally responsible reform of the high-cost fund,” an FCC spokesman said. “In reforming all components of the Universal Service Fund, the Commission is focused on helping American consumers by increasing broadband availability and adoption and limiting the burden of USF contributions."