Pressure from key members of Congress is likely to result in the Federal Communications Commission halting the collection of money from phone companies for the universal-service telecommunications discounts for libraries and schools.
The FCC "should immediately suspend further collection of funding for its schools and libraries program," said a letter to FCC Chair William Kennard from Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), Rep. Thomas Bliley Jr. (R-Va.), Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), and Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.)—all members of the Senate and House Commerce committees, which have jurisdiction over the agency. "We believe it is too late for the commission to rescue itself merely by tinkering with a fundamentally flawed and legally suspect program."
An anonymous FCC staff member told the Washington Post that the letter "removes any doubt that we'll stop" the funding. The Post said the FCC plans to vote on the issue June 8.
Posted June 8, 1998.