FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 
WASHINGTON 
OFFICE OF 
THE CHAIRMAN 
The Honorable Fred Upton 
Chairman 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
U.S. House of Representatives 
2125 Rayburn House Office Building 
Washington, D.C. 20515 
Dear Chairman Upton: 
April 22, 2014 
Thank you for your letter recommending the Commission refer evaluation of proposals 
to expand the Schools and Libraries universal service support mechanism - also known as theE­
rate program- to the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service (Joint Board). 
Modernization ofthe E-rate program is among the most important tasks currently facing the 
Commission. It is critical to America's future to ensure that our schools and libraries have 
affordable access to modern high-capacity broadband technologies. 
With respect to your specific recommendation, the Commission sought comment in the 
E-rate Modernization Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on seeking the advice and 
guidance of the Joint Board on any temporary, long-term or permanent approach to providing 
additional funding for theE-rate program, including the necessity and the amount of any 
increase. Commission staff is reviewing the record that has been developed in response to the 
NPRM, and meeting with stakeholders to ensure that we have robust input from all interested 
parties, including state public utilities commissions. Should it be clear that aspects of theE-rate 
modernization process, or other issues before the Commission, can be improved through a 
referral to the Joint Board, I will carefully consider taking such action. 
With respect toE-rate, as I recently stated, I have often found the biggest immediate 
opportunities are unlocked by first looking carefully at how to do better with what you already 
have. Should it be necessary to increase the permanent funding levels for theE-Rate program, 
we will do what is appropriate. Prudently, however, any program funding change must include 
an assessment of the use of current funds along with a fact-based analysis of the needs of the 
program to meet the goals to which we all ascribe. The Office of Managing Director of the FCC, 
Jed by Jon Wilkins, is currently working on this assessment. 
I appreciate your interest in this matter. We will include your letter in the record of the 
proceeding for Commission consideration as we proceed with modernization reform of this 
important program. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. 
Tom Wheeler 
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 
WASHINGTON 
OFFICE OF 
THE CHAIRMAN April22, 2014 
The Honorable Greg Walden 
Chairman 
Subcommittee on Communications and Technology 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
U.S. House of Representatives 
2125 Rayburn House Office Building 
Washington, DC 20515 
Dear Chairman Walden: 
Thank you for your letter recommending the Commission refer evaluation of proposals 
to expand the Schools and Libraries universal service support mechanism - also known as theE­
rate program - to the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service (Joint Board). 
Modernization of the E-rate program is among the most important tasks currently facing the 
Commission. It is critical to America's future to ensure that our schools and libraries have 
affordable access to modern high-capacity broadband technologies. 
With respect to your specific recommendation, the Commission sought comment in the 
E-rate Modernization Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on seeking the advice and 
guidance of the Joint Board on any temporary, long-term or permanent approach to providing 
additional funding for the E-rate program, including the necessity and the amount of any 
increase. Commission staff is reviewing the record that has been developed in response to the 
NPRM, and meeting with stakeholders to ensure that we have robust input from all interested 
parties, including state public utilities commissions. Should it be clear that aspects of theE-rate 
modernization process, or other issues before the Commission, can be improved through a 
referral to the Joint Board, I will carefully consider taking such action. 
With respect to E-rate, as I recently stated, I have often found the biggest immediate 
opportunities are unlocked by first looking carefully at how to do better with what you already 
have. Should it be necessary to increase the permanent funding levels for theE-Rate program, 
we will do what is appropriate. Prudently, however, any program funding change must include 
an assessment of the use of current funds along with a fact-based analysis of the needs of the 
program to meet the goals to which we all ascribe. The Office of Managing Director of the FCC, 
led by Jon Wilkins, is currently working on this assessment. 
I appreciate your interest in this matter. We will include your letter in the record of the 
proceeding for Commission consideration as we proceed with modernization reform of this 
important program. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. 
Tom Wheeler 
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 
WASHINGTON 
OFFICE OF 
THE CHAIRMAN 
The Honorable Roger Wicker 
Ranking Member 
April 22, 2014 
Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
United States Senate 
512 Dirksen Senate Office Building 
Washington, DC 20510 
Dear Senator Wicker: 
Thank you for your letter recommending the Commission refer evaluation of proposals 
to expand the Schools and Libraries universal service support mechanism - also known as theE­
rate program - to the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service (Joint Board). 
Modernization of the E-rate program is among the most important tasks currently facing the 
Commission. It is critical to America' s future to ensure that our schools and libraries have 
affordable access to modern high-capacity broadband technologies. 
With respect to your specific recommendation, the Commission sought comment in the 
E-rate Modernization Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on seeking the advice and 
guidance of the Joint Board on any temporary, long-term or permanent approach to providing 
additional funding for the E-rate program, including the necessity and the amount of any 
increase. Commission staff is reviewing the record that has been developed in response to the 
NPRM, and meeting with stakeholders to ensure that we have robust input from all interested 
parties, including state public utilities commissions. Should it be clear that aspects of theE-rate 
modernization process, or other issues before the Commission, can be improved through a 
referral to the Joint Board, I will carefully consider taking such action. 
With respect toE-rate, as I recently stated, I have often found the biggest immediate 
opportunities are unlocked by first looking carefully at how to do better with what you already 
have. Should it be necessary to increase the permanent funding levels for theE-Rate program, 
we will do what is appropriate. Prudently, however, any program funding change must include 
an assessment of the use of current funds along with a fact-based analysis of the needs of the 
program to meet the goals to which we all ascribe. The Office of Managing Director of the FCC, 
Jed by Jon Wilkins, is currently working on this assessment. 
I appreciate your interest in this matter. We will include your letter in the record of the 
proceeding for Commission consideration as we proceed with modernization reform of this 
important program. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. 
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMM ISSION 
W ASH INGTON 
OFFICE Of' 
THE CHAIRMAN 
The Honorable John Thune 
Ranking Member 
April 22, 2014 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
United States Senate 
624 Dirksen Senate Office Building 
Washington, DC 20510 
Dear Senator Thune: 
Thank you for your letter recommending the Commission refer evaluation of proposals 
to expand the Schools and Libraries universal service support mechanism - also known as theE­
rate program to the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service (Joint Board). 
Modernization of theE-rate program is among the most important tasks currently facing the 
Commission. It is critical to America' s future to ensure that our schools and libraries have 
affordable access to modern high-capacity broadband technologies. 
With respect to your specific recommendation, the Commission sought comment in the 
E-rate Modernization Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on seeking the advice and 
guidance of the Joint Board on any temporary, long-term or permanent approach to providing 
additional funding for the E-rate program, including the necessity and the amount of any 
increase. Commission staff is reviewing the record that has been developed in response to the 
NPRM, and meeting with stakeholders to ensure that we have robust input from all interested 
parties, including state public utilities commissions. Should it be clear that aspects of the E-rate 
modernization process, or other issues before the Commission, can be improved through a 
referral to the Joint Board, I will carefully consider taking such action. 
With respect to E-rate, as I recently stated, I have often found the biggest immediate 
opportunities are unlocked by first looking carefully at how to do better with what you already 
have. Should it be necessary to increase the permanent funding levels for the E-Rate program, 
we will do what is appropriate. Prudently, however, any program funding change must include 
an assessment of the use of current funds along with a fact-based analysis of the needs of the 
program to meet the goals to which we all ascribe. The Office of Managing Director of the FCC, 
led by Jon Wilkins, is currently working on this assessment. 
I appreciate your interest in this matter. We will include your letter in the record of the 
proceeding for Commission consideration as we proceed with modernization reform of this 
important program. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. 
Sincer/t't _-~heeler