The Universal Service Fund (USF) was created in the 1996 Telecommunications Act to administer the Lifeline, High-Cost, Rural Healthcare, and E-Rate programs and help increase access to broadband. The USF is administered by the nonprofit Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), which was created by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The October 15, 2026, the United […]
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 gave the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the authority to provide funding for universal service obligations in Section 254, which provided a mechanism for creating the Universal Service Fund (USF) through consultation with a Federal-State Joint Board, established the four basic programs funded by the USF, and permitted the FCC to […]
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 was enacted to “encourage productive and enjoyable harmony between man and his environment; to promote efforts which will prevent or eliminate damage to the environment and biosphere and stimulate the health and welfare or man; to enrich the understanding of the ecological systems and natural resources important […]
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law on November 15, 2021, included $42.45 billion for the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) funding program, which was intended by Congress to deploy broadband to unserved and underserved communities across the nation. None of those funds were allocated during the remainder of the […]
As the lure of socialism grows across America, “free” grocery stores, transportation, housing, and even diapers sound enticing. Politicians have been promising these and other giveaways to garner support for their elections. It all sounds good on the surface, but they come with a cost that is not always disclosed to the public until it […]
Improving and modernizing federal information technology (IT) systems is an essential need across the federal government, with aging and obsolete systems at risk of becoming unserviceable and unusable. With more than $100 billion spent annually on IT in the federal government, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) has urged federal agencies to modernize their IT systems […]
The Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act (PITFA) made permanent the moratorium on state and local internet access taxes and on multiple or discriminatory taxes on electronic commerce. The legislation, which was signed into law on February 24, 2016, continues to protect consumers from taxation on their internet services and taxes on internet advertising that could be […]
The proposed $34.5 billion merger between Cox Communications and Charter Communications made it through the last review needed to finalize the deal when it was approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Citizens Against Government Waste wrote to the CPUC on February 4, 2026, spotlighting the consumer benefits that would be derived from the […]
Funding is heading to the states from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. The expeditious and efficient use of these funds to connect unserved and underserved areas of the country depends on state and local governments ensuring that the permitting process does not impede or […]
As federal agencies continue to modernize technology and adopt artificial intelligence, cloud services are essential to making these efforts efficient and cost-effective. A June 23, 2026, Government Accountability Office (GAO) report noted, “agencies need to maximize the impact of taxpayer dollars and make procurement decisions that deliver on their missions securely and reliably. These investments […]
