On January 7, 2015, Senator David Vitter (R-LA) introduced S. 56: A bill to prohibit universal service support of commercial mobile service through the Lifeline program in the U.S. Senate. The bill, if passed, would prohibit mobile wireless carriers from receiving universal service fund (USF) support for providing Lifeline service to qualifying low-income Americans. It has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. On January 9, 2015, Representative Austin Scott (R-GA) introduced a similar bill, H.R. 266: To prohibit universal service support of commercial mobile service and commercial mobile data service through the Lifeline program, in the U.S. House of Representatives. Representative Scott’s bill would also prohibit mobile wireless carriers from receiving USF support for providing Lifeline service. It has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
