FCC to Vote on Lifeline Reform Next Month

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2026 –  The Federal Communications Commission will vote in February on a proposal to reform the federal Lifeline program to prevent fraud and ensure access for only eligible low-income Americans, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced Tuesday. 

“The FCC has an obligation to be a good steward of federal dollars,” Carr wrote in a blog. “It should go without saying that only beneficiaries that are both living and here legally should qualify for benefits under this program. But the data to date shows that this is not the case.”

Lifeline is a Universal Service Fund subsidy that provides affordable internet and telehealth for qualifying low-income Americans, and accounts for nearly $1 billion in federal spending every year. However, in recent years, Lifeline has seen “rampant abuse,” according to Carr, leading to the proposed reforms.