Congress has “an obligation to get involved” in overhauling the Universal Service...

Congress has “an obligation to get involved” in overhauling the Universal Service Fund, House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., said after a subcommittee hearing Thursday. (See separate report in this issue.) He said he wants to ensure that USF money goes to places that really need it and that the fund is managed properly. “We've had some very productive discussions with some of our committee members and developed some principles and are working on some further principles,” Walden said. He said Rep. Lee Terry, D-Neb., who last year introduced a USF revamp bill with former Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., will play a key role in the discussion. Walden again said there’s no specific date for introducing the Republicans’ planned resolution of disapproval against the FCC net neutrality order, but it will happen after the order appears in the Federal Register.