DAVID VITTER 
OLISI NA 
DEPUTY WHIP 
Envuonment and Public Works 
Top-Rankiny Republican Hnitcd ~rotcs ~mate 
Armed Services 
B~nk.ng, Housong. and Urban Affairs 
Small Busonoss and Entrepreneurship 
The Honorable Tom Wheeler 
Chairman 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street SW 
Washington, DC 20554 
Chairman Wheeler: 
WASHINGTON, DC 20510 
October 24, 2014 
WASHINGTON, D.C. 
HAAT SENATf OffiCE B UILIJCNG 
Sun SH 516 
WASH NGTON DC 20510 
(202) 224-4623 
FAX 1202) 22S-5061 
BATON ROUGE 
858 CONVEN'IOON SlAEET 
BATOr• ROUQ(, lA 70802 
(2251 383 0331 
FAX: 12251 38J 0952 
Webstln with f Mml Access. 
Vlttcr GOODI8 QOV 
The recent testimony by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Inspector General David 
Hunt before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology regarding your decision 
to hamper investigations is alarming. According to the Office of the Inspector General (010), you have 
denied them authority to hire criminal investigators. That needs an immediate explanation. Considering 
the highly publicized fraud that permeates the FCC, especially within the highly controversial Universal 
Service Fund (USF) Lifeline program, it makes absolutely no sense to me why you would deny Mr. 
Hunt's request to hire criminal investigators. 
The Lifeline program is one of the most abused and fraud-ridden federal programs ever, and it is 
our responsibility to work together to eliminate the fraud and abuse. Mr. Hunt's testimony revealed major 
cause for concern regarding your efforts to eradicate the fraud within Lifeline and USF programs. In July 
2014, you created a "strike force," and I commend that effort. However, given the massive amount of 
documented fraud within the Lifeline program, the "strike force" should coordinate with law enforcement 
and the OIG. It is obvious that you are not using all of the tools at your disposa l or even making basic 
decisions that would allow the "strike force" to eradicate any findings of fraud and prevent cases of future 
fraud from happening. 
While you might claim that the FCC is taking action to address escalating fraud within Lifeline 
through implementing the "strike force," it is clear that your efforts are neither effective nor 
comprehensive. lt has been two years since the initial push to curb fraud and abuse within Lifeline, but 
reports keep coming about new, massive cases of fraud. Far more needs to be done. For instance, a recent 
Washington Examiner report determined that nearly double the number of e ligible subscribers have 
received taxpayer subsidized cell phones from Lifeline in Maryland. The enforcement of the program 
rules and regulations has not been a priority of the FCC, and that must change immediately. Without 
enforcement of Lifeline's eligibility rules, fraud will continue to haunt this taxpayer subsidized welfare 
program for years to come. 
At a minimum, you should absolutely allow the OIG to hire criminal investigators. I hope you 
will reconsider your denial, and start working aggressively to identify waste, fraud and abuse so we can 
end it. 
Sincerely:_ ~ \ l.JL__ 
-=I:+---...\-\ \J\'l-
David Vitter 
U.S. Senator 
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