Free State Foundation President Randolph May issued the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s decision in the FCC v. Consumers’ Research case:
“While the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the FCC’s universal service programs, I hope the challenge at least served to highlight the long-standing problems with the nearly $10 billion per year Universal Service Fund. Without meaningful substantial reform, the USF fund, as it exists now, is unsustainable. Consumers of traditional telephone services are now paying a tax of 36% on all their calls as the contribution base continues to shrink. Congress needs to get serious about engaging in a top-to-bottom examination of the program to determine its size and scope going forward, how it should be funded, or whether it should even exist."