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 NEWS  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974).  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  TTY:  1-  888-  835-  5322 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT:  January  13,  2006  Daniel  Gonzalez:  (202)  418-  1000 
 CHAIRMAN  KEVIN  J.  MARTIN  CONGRATULATES  COMMISSIONER  DEBORAH  TAYLOR  TATE 
 ON  HER  APPOINTMENT  TO  SERVE  AS  FEDERAL  CHAIR  OF  THE  FEDERAL-STATE  JOINT  BOARDS  ON  UNIVERSAL  SERVICE  AND  JURISDICTIONAL 
 SEPARATIONS 
 Washington,  D.  C.  –  Today,  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  voted  to  appoint  Commissioner  Deborah  Taylor  Tate  to  both  serve  on  and  act  as  Federal  Chair  of  the  Federal-State 
 Joint  Boards  on  Universal  Service  and  Jurisdictional  Separations.  The  Federal-  State  Joint  Board  on  Universal  Service  was  established  in  March  1996  to  make  recommendations  to 
 implement  the  universal  service  provisions  of  the  Act.  The  Federal-  State  Joint  Board  on  Jurisdictional  Separations  has  existed  since  1980  in  order  to  properly  allocate  common  carrier 
 property  and  expenses  between  interstate  and  intrastate  operations.  These  Joint  Boards  are  comprised  of  FCC  Commissioners,  State  Utility  Commissioners,  and  the  Joint  Board  on 
 Universal  Service  includes  a  consumer  advocate  representative. 
 Regarding  her  appointment,  Chairman  Martin  said,  “I  am  extremely  pleased  that  Commissioner  Tate  will  serve  on  these  important  Federal-  State  Joint  Boards.  Both  universal  service  and 
 separations  are  critical  components  of  the  framework  set  forth  by  Congress  and,  based  on  her  experience  as  an  effective  state  commissioner,  I  am  confident  that  she  will  provide  strong 
 leadership  and  will  vigorously  pursue  the  goals  set  forth  in  the  Act,  including  the  provision  of  quality  telecommunications  services  at  reasonable  rates  throughout  the  nation.” 


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