FRED UPTON, MICHIGAN 
CHAIRMAN 
ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS 
C!Congress of tbe Wnfteb ~tates 
~ou~e of ~epre~entattbe~ 
COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE 
2125 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING 
WASHINGTON, DC 20515-6115 
The Honorable Tom Wheeler 
Chairman 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street, SW 
Washington, DC 20554 
Dear Chairman Wheeler: 
Majority (202} 225-2927 
Minority (202} 225-3641 
March 31, 2016 
FRANK PALLONE, JR, NEW JERSEY 
RANKING MEMBER 
We write to express concerns that the Commission is considering establishing a hard cap 
on the Lifeline program, We urge the Commission to reject a cap when it votes at the Agenda 
meeting today. 
While we have long supported the Lifeline program and the essential assistance that it 
provides to low-income Americans, we cannot support any action that would severely limit the 
program. Demand is expected to increase as the program transitions to include broadband 
service, and any cap would threaten the goals and purpose of Lifeline. 
We strongly support the Commission's effort to modernize and expand Lifeline, but by 
establishing an artificial cap on funding from the outset, many low-income consumers could find 
themselves without any mechanism to bridge the digital divide. 
We urge the Commission to reject imposing a cap on Lifeline. 
Sincerely, 
~s 
1 
Doris Matsui 
Member 
• 
260
i_,, 
Frank Pallone, Jr. 
Ranking Member 
Michael F. Doyle 
Member 
Bobby L. Rush 
Member 
Ben Ray Lujan 
Member 
• 
//-- -'2. . ~~G~---· 
a G. Eshoo 
anking Member 
Subcommittee on Communications & 
Technology 
cc: The Honorable Mignon Clyburn, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission 
The Honorable Jessica Rosenworcel, Commissioner, Federal Communications 
Commission 
The Honorable Ajit Pai, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission 
The Honorable Michael O'Rielly, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission 
2