Webcast Live

US Senate Committee on Indian Affairs to Hear Testimony on Universal Service Fund

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Native Currents. Discussion »

Thursday, June 7 at 2:15 pm edt

WASHINGTON – The US Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is holding a legislative hearing on Thursday, June 7 at 2:15 pm edt on Universal Service Fund.

The Federal Communications Commission, FCC, recently released its Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which overhauls the Universal Service Fund and substantially revises its inter-carrier compensation mechanisms.

“This recent Order released by the FCC represents the most significant overhaul of telecommunications regulation in nearly a century,”

according to the National Congress of American Indians.

With increased attention on increasing broadband in among Native people, funding is always a concern. This hearing will hear from experts who will argue the merits of the Universal Service Fund.

The hearing will be webcast live on Thursday afternoon.

To view the webcast Live use this Link.
Choose the Video tab. The webcast will not appear until the hearing broadcast begins.

WHEN:
Thursday, June 7

TIME:
2:15 pm edt

WHERE: Dirksen Senate Office Building
Room 628

Witnesses:

The Honorable Alfred LaPaz
Councilman
Mescalero Apache Tribe
Mescalero, New Mexico

Ms. Mignon L. Clyburn
Commissioner
Federal Communications Commission
Washington, DC

Mr. Jonathan Adelstein
Administrator
Rural Utilities Service, US Department of Agriculture
Washington, DC

Accompanied by Mr. Godfrey Eniady
General Manager
Mescalero Apache Telecom, Inc.
Mescalero, New Mexico

Mr. Steve Merriam
Chief Executive Officer and General Manager
Arctic Slope Telephone Association Cooperative, Inc.
Anchorage, Alaska

Mr. Albert Hee
President
Sandwich Isles Communications
Honolulu, Hawaii

Ms. Shirley Bloomfield
Chief Executive Officer
National Telecommunications Cooperative Association,
Arlington, Virginia

posted June 6, 2012 6:20 am edt