GOP Attorneys General Ask Supreme Court to Take USF Case

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2024 – A group of 15 Republican attorneys general Wednesday joined those asking the Supreme Court to take up the question of whether the Universal Service Fund is unconstitutional. They want justices to find that it is.

The USF spends about $8 billion annually subsidizing rural broadband networks, plus internet discounts for low-income households, health care centers, and schools and libraries. Managed by the Federal Communications Commission, it’s funded by fees levied on interstate voice revenue with the accounting delegated to a nonprofit set up by the agency.

“Make no mistake: Amici States recognize the goal of securing universal telecommunications service is laudable. Congress can and should find a way to provide these services for everyone,” the states wrote.