U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation

For Immediate Release
December 19th, 2007

CONGRESS APPROVES STEVENS PROVISION TO EXEMPT UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND FROM ANTIDEFICIENCY ACT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Congress today approved an important provision sponsored by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) to exempt the Universal Service Fund (USF) from the Antideficiancy Act (ADA) for another year. The provision was included as part of an omnibus appropriations bill (H.R. 2764) and would provide relief from an accounting rule that would otherwise delay important broadband funds from being delivered to schools and libraries in a timely fashion. This fix was first put in place after application of the ADA resulted in millions of dollars in delayed funding, which threatened technology programs at countless schools across the nation.

“This legislative fix was needed to ensure that the universal service program continues to bring distance learning and telemedicine to the schools and rural health clinics in Alaska, without disrupting service,” said Senator Stevens.

Earlier this year, Senator Stevens introduced the Universal Service for Americans Act (USA Act - S. 101) to update the nation’s universal service laws. The USA Act contains a permanent exemption for the E-Rate and rural health care programs from the ADA. It also contains measures to strengthen the integrity and accountability of the E-Rate program. The measure will ensure that all communications technologies are incorporated into the nation’s universal service program and that rural America is not left behind in the communications revolution.

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U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation


For Immediate Release December 19th, 2007

CONGRESS APPROVES STEVENS PROVISION TO EXEMPT UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND FROM ANTIDEFICIENCY ACT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Congress today approved an important provision sponsored by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) to exempt the Universal Service Fund (USF) from the Antideficiancy Act (ADA) for another year. The provision was included as part of an omnibus appropriations bill (H.R. 2764) and would provide relief from an accounting rule that would otherwise delay important broadband funds from being delivered to schools and libraries in a timely fashion. This fix was first put in place after application of the ADA resulted in millions of dollars in delayed funding, which threatened technology programs at countless schools across the nation. “This legislative fix was needed to ensure that the universal service program continues to bring distance learning and telemedicine to the schools and rural health clinics in Alaska, without disrupting service,” said Senator Stevens. Earlier this year, Senator Stevens introduced the Universal Service for Americans Act (USA Act - S. 101) to update the nation’s universal service laws. The USA Act contains a permanent exemption for the E-Rate and rural health care programs from the ADA. It also contains measures to strengthen the integrity and accountability of the E-Rate program. The measure will ensure that all communications technologies are incorporated into the nation’s universal service program and that rural America is not left behind in the communications revolution.