To require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study and submit a report on filing requirements under the Universal Service Fund programs.

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 711 To require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study and submit a report on filing requirements under the Universal Service Fund programs. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 22, 2019 Mr. YOUNG (for himself and Mr. LOEBSACK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To require the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study and submit a report on filing require- ments under the Universal Service Fund programs. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. STUDY AND REPORT ON FILING REQUIRE- 3 MENTS UNDER UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND 4 PROGRAMS. 5 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 6 (1) the term ‘‘Administrative Procedure Act’’ 7 means subchapter II of chapter 5 of title 5, United 8 States Code; 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:06 Feb 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H711.IH H711 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HR 711 IH (2) the term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Federal 1 Communications Commission; 2 (3) the term ‘‘covered carrier’’ means an eligi- 3 ble telecommunications carrier or service provider 4 that receives universal service support under sections 5 214(e) and 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 6 (47 U.S.C. 214(e) and 254) for the provision of 7 service under a Universal Service Fund program; 8 and 9 (4) the term ‘‘Universal Service Fund program’’ 10 means each program of the Commission set forth 11 under part 54 of title 47, Code of Federal Regula- 12 tions, or any successor thereto, including— 13 (A) the Connect America Fund set forth 14 under subpart D of that part; 15 (B) the Lifeline program set forth under 16 subpart E of that part; 17 (C) the E-Rate program set forth under 18 subpart F of that part; 19 (D) the Rural Health Care program set 20 forth under subpart G of that part; 21 (E) the Remote Areas Fund set forth 22 under subpart J of that part; 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:06 Feb 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H711.IH H711 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HR 711 IH (F) the Connect America Fund Broadband 1 Loop Support program set forth under subpart 2 K of that part; 3 (G) the Mobility Fund set forth under sub- 4 part L of that part; and 5 (H) the High Cost Loop Support for Rate- 6 of-Return Carriers program set forth under 7 subpart M of that part. 8 (b) STUDY AND REPORT.—Not later than 18 months 9 after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 10 General of the United States shall conduct a study and 11 submit to the Commission, the Committee on Commerce, 12 Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the Com- 13 mittee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Rep- 14 resentatives a report, which shall include— 15 (1) an analysis of the filing requirements for 16 covered carriers participating in a Universal Service 17 Fund program, including any filings required by the 18 Universal Service Administrative Company; 19 (2) an analysis of the financial impact of those 20 filing requirements on covered carriers participating 21 in a Universal Service Fund program; and 22 (3) recommendations, if any, on how to consoli- 23 date redundant filing requirements for covered car- 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:06 Feb 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H711.IH H711 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •HR 711 IH riers participating in a Universal Service Fund pro- 1 gram. 2 (c) RULEMAKING.— 3 (1) NEW OR ONGOING RULEMAKING.—Except 4 as provided in paragraph (3), not later than 60 days 5 after the date on which the report is submitted 6 under subsection (b), the Commission shall— 7 (A)(i) initiate a rulemaking to consolidate 8 redundant filing requirements for covered car- 9 riers participating in a Universal Service Fund 10 program; and 11 (ii) incorporate into the rulemaking under 12 clause (i), and as part of that rulemaking seek 13 comment on, the recommendations described in 14 subsection (b)(3), if any, except to the extent 15 that doing so would violate the requirements of 16 the Administrative Procedure Act; or 17 (B) incorporate into an ongoing rule- 18 making relating to consolidating redundant fil- 19 ing requirements of the Commission, and as 20 part of that rulemaking seek comment on, the 21 recommendations described in subsection (b)(3), 22 if any, except to the extent that doing so would 23 violate the requirements of the Administrative 24 Procedure Act. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:06 Feb 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H711.IH H711 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 5 •HR 711 IH (2) WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE.—In a rule- 1 making in which the Commission is required under 2 paragraph (1) to seek comment on the recommenda- 3 tions described in subsection (b)(3), if any, the Com- 4 mission shall also seek comment on and consider 5 whether the benefit of each recommendation is out- 6 weighed by any potential increased risk of waste, 7 fraud, and abuse in the Universal Service Fund pro- 8 gram affected by the recommendation. 9 (3) PREVIOUS RULEMAKING.—Paragraph (1) 10 shall not apply if, on or before the date on which the 11 report is submitted under subsection (b), the Com- 12 mission completes a rulemaking to consolidate re- 13 dundant filing requirements for covered carriers par- 14 ticipating in a Universal Service Fund program. 15 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:06 Feb 01, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H711.IH H711 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS