S. 101 · 110th Congress
Universal Service for Americans Act
Key: what the circles and colors mean
Each circle is a bill. The ring fills as it moves through Congress:
Under the number: the Yea · Nay count of its final (or latest) recorded vote. On a member's page, the small badge is how that member voted: Y Yea / Aye, N Nay / No, P Present, – Not voting.
Gold and violet are only for Yea and Nay; they never mean a party. A member's party is the letter on their photo.
Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 110th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.
R
StevensSponsor6 cosponsors · 6 R
2 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.
Universal Service for Americans Act or USA Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require each communications service provider to contribute to support universal service (the provision of communications service in rural, insular, and high-cost areas), subject to exemptions.
What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in Senate · Jan 4, 2007
Universal Service for Americans Act or USA Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require each communications service provider to contribute to support universal service (the provision of communications service in rural, insular, and high-cost areas), subject to exemptions.
Modifies requirements regarding interconnection and rural telephone companies.
Imposes on facilities-based IP-enabled voice service providers the same rights, duties, and obligations as a requesting telecommunications carrier if the provider elects to assert those rights. Prohibits a carrier from refusing to transport or terminate IP-enabled voice traffic solely because it is IP-enabled and prohibits a provider originating, transmitting, or terminating IP-enabled voice traffic from being exempted from paying compensation for interstate traffic solely because the traffic is IP-enabled. Regulates IP-enabled voice service regarding: (1) accessibility for the disabled community; and (2) alarm or security systems or personal security or medical monitoring systems.
Applies universal service provisions to any services under FCC jurisdiction that can effectively substitute for interexchange telecommunications services, including any such substitute classified as an information service that uses telecommunications.
Establishes the Broadband for Unserved Areas Program to provide financial assistance for the deployment of broadband equipment and infrastructure to unserved areas throughout the United States.
Declares that universal service support mechanisms and rules should be competitively neutral.
Requires telecommunications and IP-enabled voice service providers to ensure, as technically possible, that all traffic contains or preserves identification information.
Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov
About this bill and sources
Official title: Universal Service for Americans Act
Also known as: USA Act
Latest action (Jan 4, 2007): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications · Origin: Senate · Introduced: Jan 4, 2007
Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)
No recorded floor vote found.