Digital Inclusion

Trade Groups Push FCC to Keep Lifeline Verification With USAC

NTCA, NRECA say new identity-check and Social Security number collection duties should not be shifted to individual carriers.

Zach Stark

Jun 4, 2026 — 4 min read

Photo of Diana Eisner, vice president of regulatory and legal affairs, for USTelecom, from LinkedIn.

WASHINGTON, June 4, 2026 – An effort at the Federal Communications Commission to adopt changes to a communications services subsidy program has become something of a struggle.

The Rural Broadband Association (NTCA) and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) urged the FCC in a June 2 filing to keep Lifeline verification duties centralized with USAC and the National Verifier, rather than shifting new identity-check or Social Security number collection responsibilities onto individual carriers.

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Digital Inclusion FCC NRECA Lifeline NTCA USTelecom Oregon Texas FBA AARP Justice Department Brendan Carr Diana Eisner Benton Institute for Broadband and Society

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