On March 15, Federal Communications Commissioner Mignon Clyburn delivered a speech to the Consumer Federation of America’s Consumer Assembly 2013: Challenges and Opportunities. Commissioner Clyburn’s remarks highlighted the FCC’s Lifeline program and its importance to low-income consumers, saying “It connects them to 911, social services, and job opportunities. Without this program, 15 million low-income families would literally be choosing between feeding their children or going without a dial tone that potentially could save their lives and put them on a better economic path.”
The following may be attributed to Benton Foundation Chairman Charles Benton:
I wish to congratulate FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn for her excellent remarks. Once again, Commissioner Clyburn has proven herself to be a champion of the Lifeline program, the USF subsidy program that helps low-income consumers secure affordable telephone service. Lifeline has come under attack in recent weeks, with press accounts pointing to waste, fraud and abuse. Commissioner Clyburn set the record straight. Lifeline was established during the Reagan Administration and expanded in 2005 during the Bush Administration to include cell phone service as well. The Obama FCC has instituted reforms that have yielded laudable results in weeding out duplicate discounts and other unacceptable and unscrupulous practices.
The Benton Foundation has been working to see that Lifeline successfully transitions to support affordable broadband access and stands with Commissioner Clyburn in her quest to see that this vital program continues to serve the estimated 15 million low-income consumers who need it.
The Benton Foundation (benton.org) works to realize the social benefits made possible by the public interest use of communications. Bridging the worlds of philanthropy, public policy, and community action, Benton seeks to shape the emerging communications environment and to demonstrate the value of communications for solving social problems. This statement reflects the institutional view of the Foundation and, unless obvious from the text, is not intended to reflect the views of individual Foundation officers, directors, or advisors.