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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The federal Telecommunications Act of 1996,
3 through the establishment of the Federal Universal Service
4 Fund, was intended to promote the availability of quality
5 services at just, reasonable, and affordable prices, increased
6 access to advanced telecommunications services throughout the
7 Nation, and the availability of quality services to all
8 consumers, including those in low-income, rural, insular, and
9 high-cost areas, at rates that are reasonably comparable to
10 those charged in urban areas; and
 
11     WHEREAS, The intended goals of that legislation have not
12 been met in the State of Illinois, and many of Illinois'
13 communities have no wireless services or inadequate wireless
14 service; and
 
15     WHEREAS, The failure to achieve the goals of improved and
16 high-quality services has, and will continue to have, a direct
17 and substantial negative impact on the health and safety of the
18 people living and working in Illinois' rural areas; and
 
19     WHEREAS, The failure to achieve this goal of high-quality
20 wireless services at just, reasonable, and affordable rates to
21 everyone is a very significant barrier to the economic
22 development of much of rural Illinois; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, There are 3 rural wireless carriers in Illinois
2 that are seeking certification as eligible telecommunications
3 carriers; the federal universal service funding will enable
4 these eligible telecommunications carriers to construct
5 significant additional wireless infrastructure in rural
6 Illinois; and
 
7     WHEREAS, The Illinois Commerce Commission has certified
8 one of these carriers and is reviewing the requests for
9 certification of the other two; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The Federal-State Joint Board on Universal
11 Service has recommended that the Federal Communications
12 Commission impose a cap on universal service funding for rural
13 wireless carriers seeking to expand coverage in rural areas;
14 and
 
15     WHEREAS, This recommended cap would severely limit Federal
16 Universal Service Fund support for Illinois' rural wireless
17 carriers currently receiving these funds; and
 
18     WHEREAS, The proposed cap on funding would serve to
19 undercut the purpose and objective of the federal
20 Telecommunications Act of 1996 by impairing the ability of
21 Illinois' wireless-eligible telecommunications carriers to

 

 

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1 expand infrastructure into rural Illinois so that rural and
2 urban wireless service is equal, as promised by that Act;
3 therefore, be it
 
4     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
5 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Federal
6 Communications Commission to reject the cap proposed by the
7 Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service; and be it
8 further
 
9     RESOLVED, That we urge the United States Congress to repeal
10 the cap if it is adopted by the Federal Communications
11 Commission; and be it further
 
12     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
13 delivered to the Honorable Kevin J. Martin, Chairman of the
14 Federal Communications Commission, the President pro tempore
15 of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States
16 House of Representatives and to each member of the Illinois
17 congressional delegation.