RICHARD BLUMENTHAL 
CONNECTICUT 
COMMITTEES: 
AGING t]:lnitrd ~tarn; ~rnatr 
ARMED SERVICES 
COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION 
JUDICIARY 
VETERANS' AFFAIRS, RANKING MEMBER 
The Honorable Robert McDonald 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
810 Vermont A venue, Northwest 
Washington, D.C. 20240 
The Honorable Tom Wheeler 
WASHINGTON, DC 20510 
August 3 1 , 2015 
Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street, Southwest 
Washington, D.C. 20554 
Dear Secretary McDonald and Chairman Wheeler, 
706 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING 
WASHINGTON, DC 20510 
(202) 224-2823 
FAX: (202) 224- 9673 
90 STATE HOUSE SQUARE, TENTH FLOOR 
HARTFORD, CT 06103 
(860) 258- 6940 
FAX: (860) 258-6958 
915 LAFAYETTE BOULEVARD, ROOM 230 
BRIDGEPORT, CT 06604 
(203) 330-0598 
FAX: (203) 330-0608 
http://blumenthal.senate.gov 
I write to urge the Federal Communications Conunission (FCC) and the Department of 
Veterans Affairs (VA) to create coordinated emollment opportunities for veterans, particularly 
participants in VA's pension or homeless veterans programs, to easily email in the FCC's 
Lifeline Program. The Lifeline Program has provided telephone access to many low-income 
Americans for more than 30 years. Data technology is a vital capability for low-income and 
homeless veterans to improve their daily lives and we have a responsibility to ensure that our 
men and women who served in uniform are equipped to access their hard-earned benefits. The 
FCC should move forv,1ard with its proposal to expand the Lifeline Program to broadband 
c01rnections, which will help bring this critical communications infrastructure into the homes of 
low-income veterans that deserve our help and support. 
Both broadband and telecommunications technologies are pivotal to conduct daily 
activities, pursue job and housing opportunities and stay in touch with family members. Veterans 
can use the Li fe line Program discount to improve access to the technology that will allow them 
to contact VA for benefits or medical appointments, or to communicate with potential employers 
or housing providers. The traditional Lifeline discount specifically enables veterans to utilize VA 
hotlines, such as the Veterans Crisis Line, the VA Benefits and Help for Homeless Veterans 
hot lines as well as Department of Defense (DoD) hotlines for services and resources. The 
proposal to expand the Lifeline program to broadband, would help veterans access affordable 
quality health care services. With a broadband connection at home, veterans can check their 
claims status, apply for new benefits, download their health history, or view their military service 
record utili zing the eBenefits web portal, and apply for employment or housing opportunities 
through online resources. 
I urge FCC and VA to collaborate on outreach efforts to veterans, veterans' and military 
service organizations, and housing organizations, to widely disseminate information on this 
WCB-  
CONNECT 
AMERICA
USF-LIFELINE
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historically successful program, its benefits, and enrollment opportunities for eligible veterans. 
It is our duty to ensure that veterans with limited or no income are accessing each and every 
resource they may be eligible for. Many VA pension recipients may also be eligible to participate 
in the Lifeline Program based on their income levels. Similarly, many homeless veterans 
participating in the HUD-V ASH program and other VA homeless pro grains may also have 
limited incomes that would mirror Lifeline eligibility qualifications; making any participating 
veteran automatically eligible. The fight to end veteran homelessness is still ongoing and we 
must ensure that we provide as much support as possible in order to ensure housing stability. I 
encourage FCC and VA to establish a coordinated enrollment system for the Lifeline discount 
for all veterans participating in VA programs based on qualifying income levels that indicate 
Lifeline eligibility. 
As Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans ' Affairs, T strongly believe 
that greater access to Lifeline benefits will provide supp011 for our veterans' population as they 
transition from the armed services to civilian employment and as they transition from 
homelessness into housing. I greatly appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to 
collaborating with both of you to ensure that all veterans are aware of this benefit and are making 
use of it. 
Sincerely, 
~,;!,(. ..... ~ 
Richard Blumenthal '7 
United States Senate 
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