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Velázquez Urges FCC to Preserve Lifeline Program

May 3, 2018

Velázquez Urges FCC to Preserve Lifeline Program

Leads 47 Members of Congress, Says Lifeline Vital to Telecommunication for Puerto Ricans

Washington, DC—This week, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) led 47 Members of Congress in writing to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai urging the commission to preserve the Lifeline program.

Lifeline is a federal assistance program under the FCC that provides communications services to low-income consumers. In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, nearly 20 percent of Puerto Rico's population has relied on Lifeline for essential telecommunications services. However, under Chairman Pai recent proposal to rollback the program, 75 percent of existing customers in Puerto Rico would lose their telecommunications carrier.

"Lifeline fills a critical gap in Puerto Rico, and given the devastation from Hurricane Maria, this program is now more important than ever," lawmakers wrote in the letter. "After many communities endured widespread lack of communications post-Maria, they should not be forced to endure additional hardship. Continued, reliable access is essential for the Island's economy to recover and to help stop the outmigration of the Island's residents."

The full text of the letter is below. For a PDF with a list of signatories, click here.

May 2, 2018

The Honorable Ajit V. Pai

Chairman

Federal Communications Commission

445 12th Street SW

Washington, DC 20554

Dear Chairman Pai:

We write in strong support of the Federal Communications Commission's Lifeline program, and to express opposition to your proposal to drastically reduce the program's footprint in Puerto Rico. As you may know from your recent trips to the Island, Lifeline fills a critical gap in Puerto Rico, and given the devastation from Hurricane Maria, this program is now more important than ever.

Nearly half of the residents in Puerto Rico fall under the federal poverty line, and thus, qualify for multiple federal assistance programs. Almost 20 percent of the Island's population has relied on Lifeline in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria for essential communications services. In total, there are roughly 840,000 households in Puerto Rico that are eligible for Lifeline. The program also has a significant footprint within higher-need communities in Puerto Rico, with approximately 264,000 households with children, and approximately 38,000 veterans eligible for Lifeline.

Another important lesson learned from the Hurricane's aftermath is the value of the Lifeline program towards rendering emergency health care treatment. Given the significant damage to Puerto Rico's infrastructure, health care providers had urgent needs for power, medical supplies, communications, and telemedicine support post-landfall. This was necessary to conduct emergency medical response and coordinate care with disaster response operations across the Island. Lifeline was also instrumental in enabling health officials in Puerto Rico to notify and communicate with beneficiaries and other relevant parties. This included sending alerts, tracking patients in "hot spots," and communicating with federal counterparts.

Under your current proposal, it is estimated that 75 percent of existing Lifeline customers in Puerto Rico would lose their telecommunications carrier. After many communities endured widespread lack of communications post-Maria, they should not be forced to endure additional hardship. Continued, reliable access is essential for the Island's economy to recover and to help stop the outmigration of the Island's residents. In addition, hurricane season starts June 1st, and we must make sure more residents – not fewer – have access to life-saving telecommunications services.

For these reasons, we request that you abandon your proposals to gut the Lifeline program. Doing so would help stabilize the Island, while ensuring that its residents, emergency personnel, and health care providers have access to telecommunications services. Thank you for your attention to Puerto Rico and I look forward to working with you on this and other matters of importance for the Island.

Sincerely,