O!nngress nf tqe 1ltnite~ ~fates B'aslfington, il@: 20515 February 4, 2019 62 The Honorable Ajit V. Pai Chairman, Federal Communications Commission 1 455 l 2 h Street, Southwest Washington, DC 20544 Dear Chairman Pai: We write regarding the rate floor freeze for local voice services. As of2017, the rate has been set at $18 per month for those receiving support from the Universal Service Fund (USF), and is set to expire on June 30, 2019. Historically, the rate floor was instituted in response to concerns that the FCC was subsidizing rural voice service too heavily, and should be raised over time to be comparable to urban areas. Unfortunately, when the rate reached $18, further concerns arose that voice service would no longer be affordable for rural areas, therefore, leading to the FCC instituted freeze. Discussions regarding the rate floor freeze were likely to occur at the FCC this first quarter - well before the deadline. Yet, due to the government shutdown, it is our concern that these discussions will be pushed back, and providers will have no choice but to start planning for phone bill increases in the next few months. As the government is now reopened, we ask that the FCC place high priority on exploring a longer-term rate freeze for rural communities across the nation. In doing so, the FCC will be able to provide fairer rates, rather than subjecting rural Americans to increases for services which cannot compare to that of urban communities. We thank you for your time and attention to this issue. Sincerely, Mark Paean Ro Khanna Member of Congress Member of Congress Vicente Gonzalez Member of Congress Member of Congress Member of Congress PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER