Changes to lifeline program could hurt veterans most

More than 1 million veterans rely on the Lifeline program connecting low-income households to essential services like health care, job opportunities and public safety. Unfortunately, proposed changes from the Federal Communications Commission threaten to undermine this vital program and hurt those who depend on it most. About 40 million people are eligible for Lifeline and roughly 10 million of those have enrolled. Of the enrollees, around 1.3 million (or more than 10 percent) are veterans or disabled veterans living near or below the poverty line. In many cases, these individuals and their families rely on the Lifeline program for everyday tasks, like staying connected to their jobs, their families and to emergency services. The phone call can be a real lifeline, especially since many veterans often face difficult re-entry back into civilian life and turn to support hotlines. 

[James Fisher is executive director of the Korean War Veterans Association. Keith David is executive director of the Task Force Dagger Foundation.]