The Honorable Julius Genachowski Chairman, Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, SW Washington, DC 20554 DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ 20TH OIS"TltICT. FLORIDA CHIEF DEPUTY WHIP COMMITTEES COMMITIEE ON APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEES CHAIR, ll!GISLATlvti BIIANCH VICE CHAIR. FINANCIAl SEIIVlCES COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY SUBCOMMITTEE CII'ME.TER~ISMAND HOMElAND S£CUfIfTY QCongre~~of tbe Wniteb~tate~ 1£.lou5e of ll'epre5entatibe5 _allbillgton. Z!:le{ 20515-0920 March 2, 20 II WASHINOTON OFACE 118 CANNON House OFFICE BUIlDING WASHINGTON. DC 20515-0920 12021 225-7931 (202) 226-2052 (Fu) DISTRICT OfFlC£S 10100 PINES BOULEVARD PEMBROKE PINES. Fl33026 (954) 437-3936 1954j437-4776 (FAX) 19200 WEST CouN"TltY CLUe DRIVE THIRD FLOOft AVENTVAA, Fl3J180 13051~5724 13051 932-9664 (FA,X1 Dear Chairman Genachowski: I am writing with regard to the Federal Communications Commission's ("FCC") efforts to reform the Universal Service Fund (USF) and Intercarrier Compensation regime. The recently announced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to address these issues is a step in the right direction, especially as you attempt to introduce reforms that result in less waste and more accountability for ratepayer dollars, and I applaud your leadership in undertaking this necessary reform. One area I would like to draw attention to is the continued need for access to consumer-driven services, such as the range of toll conferencing options. As you know, millions of consumers, small businesses, educational institutions, and other non-profit organizations rely on these services daily. I are confident there are solutions that would provide a level playing field for all telecommunications carriers and service providers in urban and rural areas, while eliminating the incentives for abuse. While the NPRM properly outlines the issues surrounding access stimulation, I urge the FCC to closely examine solutions that address pricing lntercarrier Compensation rates at lower rates for higher call volumes so as to preserve such valuable consumer services and to continue to encourage investment in underserved areas. Again, thank you f;:lr your work on this important issue and I look forward to working with you to resolve this issue in a way that protects all American consumers and businesses. Sincerely, Debbie Wasserman Schultz Member ofCongress PflINTED ON RECYClED PAPER 15 APR 2011 RCIJO