No Lifeline for the Dead Act
Sponsored By: Representative Obernolte
Introduced
Summary
Tightening identity checks and narrowing who can get the FCC Lifeline phone subsidy. This bill would force the Federal Communications Commission to use two national systems to verify eligibility and would limit Lifeline to U.S. citizens or qualified aliens.
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- Low-income consumers who already get Lifeline would face a recheck within 180 days and could lose service if the national verifier and database find them ineligible.
- New applicants must provide a Social Security number or a Tribal identifier as part of their Lifeline application to qualify.
- Eligibility would be limited to U.S. citizens and "qualified aliens" as defined in federal law, excluding other immigration statuses.
- States and other programs could not opt out of using the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier and the National Lifeline Accountability Database, so state-based checks could not override the federal systems.
- The FCC would have 120 days to issue regulations that implement the required use of the national verifier and accountability database.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Tighter Lifeline rules for low-income households
This bill would limit the FCC Lifeline phone subsidy to U.S. citizens and qualified aliens. You would have to give a Social Security number or a Tribal identifier to apply. The FCC would have to use the national Eligibility Verifier and Accountability Database to check eligibility. Those checks must be in place within 120 days of enactment. Within 180 days, people who were approved before without those systems would be rechecked and could lose Lifeline if found ineligible.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Obernolte
CA • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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