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HR 151 99th Congress House Government Operations and Politics Communications and Broadcasting Economics and Public Finance Government trust funds Poor Telephone Telephone rates

Lifeline Telephone Service Act of 1985

Introduced: January 3, 1985 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 99th Congress ended
It never became law before the 99th Congress (1985–1986) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 26, 1985
Referred to Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Consumer Protection and Finance.
Jan 3, 1985
Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Jan 3, 1985
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

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.

What's happening now February 26, 1985

Referred to Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Consumer Protection and Finance.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 151: Lifeline Telephone Service Act of 1985. 99th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/99-HR-151/
MLA
"H.R. 151: Lifeline Telephone Service Act of 1985." 99th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/99-HR-151/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 151, 99th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/99-HR-151/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 151: Lifeline Telephone Service Act of 1985](https://openamerica.io/bill/99-HR-151/)
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