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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 151 (99th)

Lifeline Telephone Service Act of 1985

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

3 January 1985

Last action

26 February 1985 · Referred

Status

Referred to Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Consumer Protection and Finance.

Sponsors

Rep. Leland, Mickey [D-TX-18], Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA], Rep. Bryant, John W. [D-TX-5], Rep. Collins, Cardiss [D-IL-7], Rep. Scheuer, James H. [D-NY-8], Rep. Waxman, Henry A. [D-CA-33], Rep. Berman, Howard L. [D-CA-28], Rep. Biaggi, Mario [D-NY-19], Rep. Bonker, Don [D-WA-3], Rep. Coleman, Ronald D. [D-TX-16], Rep. Crockett, George W., Jr. [D-MI-13], Rep. Hamilton, Lee H. [D-IN-9], Rep. Kanjorski, Paul E. [D-PA-11], Rep. Martinez, Matthew G. [D-CA-31], Rep. Mitchell, Parren J. [D-MD-7], Rep. Owens, Major R. [D-NY-11], Rep. Robinson, Tommy F. [D-AR-2], Rep. Rodino, Peter W., Jr. [D-NJ-10], Rep. Roybal, Edward R. [D-CA-25], Sen. Torricelli, Robert G. [D-NJ], Rep. Towns, Edolphus [D-NY-10], Rep. Traxler, Bob [D-MI-8], Rep. Wheat, Alan [D-MO-5], Rep. Weaver, James H. [D-OR-4], Rep. Weiss, Ted [D-NY-17], Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9], Rep. Roe, Robert A. [D-NJ-8], Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY], Rep. Dellums, Ronald V. [D-CA-9], Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL], Rep. Gonzalez, Henry B. [D-TX-20], Rep. Gray, Kenneth J. [D-IL-22], Rep. Lantos, Tom [D-CA-12], Rep. Nowak, Henry [D-NY-33], Rep. Traficant, James A., Jr. [D-OH-17], Rep. Solarz, Stephen J. [D-NY-13], Rep. Seiberling, John F. [D-OH-14], Rep. Torres, Esteban Edward [D-CA-34], Rep. Mrazek, Robert J. [D-NY-3], Rep. Rahall, Nick J., II [D-WV-3], Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA], Rep. Burton, Sala [D-CA-5], Rep. Evans, Lane [D-IL-17], Rep. Mollohan, Alan B. [D-WV-1], Rep. Vento, Bruce F. [D-MN-4], Rep. Wise, Robert E., Jr. [D-WV-2], Rep. Matsui, Robert T. [D-CA-5], Rep. Perkins, Carl C. [D-KY-7]

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

29 August 2025

Official sourceView documentsShare

Summary

Lifeline Telephone Service Act of 1985 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to establish a fund from which payments shall be made to exchange common carriers which provide lifeline telephone service. Directs the Federal Communications Commission to determine uniform surcharges on charges for interstate telephone toll service to provide sufficient funds for such payments beginning January 1, 1986. Provides that the amount of such payments to a carrier shall equal 50 percent of the amount of revenue lost by the carrier as a result of providing such service. Directs each State communications commission to establish rules for the provision of lifeline service by carriers. Allows such a commission to restrict eligibility for such service based on low-income criteria accounting for the needs of the elderly, the unemployed, the disabled, and single heads of households.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 3 January 1985

    Introduced

    Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 3 January 1985

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 3 January 1985

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 26 February 1985

    Referred

    Referred to Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Consumer Protection and Finance.

    Source: Committee

Votes

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Versions

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Documents

1 official file

Leesvertaling

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Sponsors

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Related records

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Sources

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