Contact: Regina Davis, 202-898-9382, rdavis@naruc.org

NARUC and State Utility Commissions Recognize September 10-14 as Lifeline Awareness Week

WASHINGTON—The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners joins state regulators, the Federal Communications Commission and the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates in recognizing September 10-14, 2018, as Lifeline Awareness Week. NARUC has issued the following statement to mark this year’s observance:

Since 2009, NARUC has recognized the first week after Labor Day as Lifeline Awareness Week. We understand the importance of the Lifeline program—it improves millions of lives. For low-income Americans, it serves as an important and necessary link to much-needed resources: crucial emergency health care, government services and employment through phone and broadband services. During Lifeline Awareness Week, we hope that all stakeholders become more engaged in sharing information and learning more about Lifeline requirements. We also look forward to the complete nationwide implementation of a consumer-friendly Lifeline National Eligibility Verifier by the Universal Service Administrative Company. Our goal is for all eligible households to be enrolled and receive Lifeline program benefits. We applaud the efforts of our state commissions, the FCC, NASUCA and other groups that are engaged in Lifeline information campaigns.

NARUC passed a resolution at its Summer Policy Summit on July 18, 2018, urging the implementation of a consumer-friendly Lifeline National Eligibility Verifier. The resolution is available on NARUC’s website at http://bit.ly/VerifierResolution.

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About NARUC

NARUC is a non-profit organization founded in 1889 whose members include the governmental agencies that are engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers in the fifty States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. NARUC's member agencies regulate telecommunications, energy, and water utilities. NARUC represents the interests of State public utility commissions before the three branches of the Federal government.