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 assist small businesses in rural America.  The provision, which was part of an omnibus appropriations bill (H.R. 2764), prevents universal service support from being restricted to primary phone lines.  Small businesses in rural America, including Alaska, receive assistance from the Universal Service Fund (USF) to keep phone access affordable. Earlier this year, proposals for universal service reform recommended restricting this assistance to primary business phone lines only. Small businesses in rural America often need a second phone line for a fax machine or other business needs, and this measure would ensure that universal service funds are available and that these second phone lines remain affordable.