Bills · HR 4032
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 4032Rural conditions and developmentBroadcasting, cable, digital technologies
Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act of 2025
INTRO JUN 17· LAST ACTION JUN 17
READING
5MIN
COSPONSORS
25BIPARTISAN
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it proposes a significant modernization of how universal broadband service is funded in the United States. The current Universal Service Fund relies heavily on contributions from traditional telephone service, a shrinking revenue source that is increasingly unsustainable for supporting modern internet infrastructure. This often results in higher fees for traditional phone subscribers.
If this bill becomes law, it would broaden the funding base to include internet service providers and, importantly, "edge providers"—the major online platforms and services that generate vast amounts of internet traffic and revenue. This change could stabilize the fund, potentially lowering the monthly "universal service fee" on phone bills, and more effectively direct support to expand and improve broadband access, especially in underserved rural and low-income areas. If it doesn't pass, the current funding mechanism for universal service will likely continue to face sustainability challenges, potentially leading to continued higher costs for traditional phone subscribers or less robust support for broadband expansion.
KEY PROVISIONS
5AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to create new rules within 18 months to expand who contributes to the Universal Service Fund (USF) to include broadband providers and specific "edge providers."
This fundamentally changes who pays into the fund that supports broadband access for underserved communities, aiming to reduce the burden on traditional phone customers.
PROVISION 02
Defines "edge provider" to include a wide range of online content and service companies, such as digital advertising, search engines, social media platforms, streaming services, and cloud computing.
This specifies which types of major online companies would be subject to new contributions to the Universal Service Fund.
PROVISION 03
Exempts smaller edge providers (those transmitting less than 3% of US broadband data AND earning less than $5 billion in US revenue) and any provider whose contribution would be too small to matter (de minimis).
This protects smaller companies from undue financial burden while still capturing contributions from the largest online platforms.
PROVISION 04
Requires the FCC to create a new program within 18 months to provide financial support for broadband providers to cover the costs of serving high-cost areas.
This targets financial support directly to expand and maintain affordable broadband in rural and other expensive-to-serve regions, where it's often unavailable or costly.
PROVISION 05
Clarifies that the FCC gains no new authority over broadband providers or edge providers, except for requiring them to contribute to the Universal Service Fund.
This limits the scope of the FCC's power, ensuring it is focused on funding mechanisms rather than broader regulation of these industries.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 25
R· Iowa
YRS IN OFFICE
5
BILLS LED
35
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 72%
DEM 9 REP 16 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSJUN 17
Introduced in House
JUN 17
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 4032
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedJun 17, 2025
Last actionJun 17, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED JUN 17, 2025
House BillHR 4032Rural conditions and developmentBroadcasting, cable, digital technologies
Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act of 2025
INTRODUCED JUN 17, 2025· LAST ACTION JUN 17, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
5 min
COSPONSORS
25
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
