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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:  March  2,  2006  Mark  Wigfield,  202-  418-  0253 
 Email:  mark.  wigfield@  fcc.  gov 


 FCC  EXTENDS  HURRICANE  KATRINA  UNIVERSAL  SERVICE  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAMS 
 Programs  Provide  Those  Affected  by  Hurricane  Katrina  With  Wireless  Service;  Aid  to  Schools  &  Libraries 
 Washington,  D.  C.  –  The  Federal  Communications  Commission  has  adopted  an  order  extending  its  relief  plan  to  assist  victims  of  Hurricane  Katrina  through  targeted  universal  fund 
 (USF)  support.  Shortly  after  the  Gulf  Coast  was  devastated  by  Hurricane  Katrina,  the  Commission  adopted  the  October  2005  Hurricane  Katrina  Order,  which,  among  other  things, 
 provided  temporary  modifications  to  the  schools  and  libraries  universal  service  support  mechanisms  (also  known  as  E-  Rate)  to  assist  schools  and  libraries  affected  by  Hurricane  Katrina, 
 and  allowed  evacuees  and  other  persons  displaced  by  the  Hurricane  to  qualify  for  300  minutes  of  free  wireless  service  and  a  handset  under  the  federal  Lifeline  program.  The  Commission  extends 
 until  September  30,  2006,  the  filing  window  for  schools  and  libraries  directly  affected  by  Katrina  to  apply  for  2006  funding  for  eligible  services  under  the  E-  rate  program.  The  Commission  also 
 waives  for  affected  schools  in  funding  year  2006  the  “two-  in-  five”  rule,  which  bars  applicants  from  receiving  funds  for  internal  connections  for  more  than  two  out  of  every  five  funding  years. 
 In  addition,  because  many  Hurricane  Katrina  victims  remain  displaced,  the  Commission  extends  for  three  months  the  federal  Katrina  Lifeline  Program,  which  was  set  to  expire  on  March  1. 


 Action  by  the  Commission,  February  28,  2006,  by  Order  (FCC  06-  23).  Chairman  Martin,  Commissioners  Copps,  Adelstein,  and  Tate. 


 Docket  Nos.:  96-  45,  02-  6,  02-  60,  03-  109. 
 Wireline  Competition  Bureau  Staff  Contact:  Amy  Bender  at  202-  418-  1469,  amy.  bender@  fcc.  gov. 


 -FCC- 
 News  about  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  can  also  be  found 
 on  the  Commission’s  web  site  www.  fcc.  gov. 
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