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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Introduced February 26, 2026 by Joni Ernst · Last progress February 26, 2026
Requires phone and internet providers that take part in the Lifeline program to confirm each applicant’s eligibility using the federal National Verifier system. The law defines who counts as an eligible telecommunications carrier and what qualifies as Lifeline service, and makes verification uniform and centralized before enrollment.
The bill centralizes Lifeline eligibility verification to make access more consistent and quicker for low-income Americans, but it raises substantial risks of erroneous denials, concentrated data/privacy exposure, and integration costs for carriers.
Low-income households and rural consumers will get more consistent and faster Lifeline eligibility decisions because applications are checked nationwide through a centralized National Verifier, reducing inconsistent approvals and enabling automated determinations.
Low-income households will have clearer, standardized information about what counts as Lifeline service (voice or broadband), making it easier to understand and use the benefit.
Low-income households, recent movers, immigrants, and people with unstable records may be incorrectly denied or face enrollment delays if the National Verifier has errors or lacks up-to-date federal records, blocking access to Lifeline benefits.
All applicants will have more of their personal data concentrated in a single system, increasing the risk of privacy harms and larger-scale data breaches for Lifeline applicants.
Eligible telecommunications carriers may face implementation costs to integrate with the National Verifier, which could reduce provider participation or be passed through to consumers.
Establishes the official short title of the Act as the "No Lifeline for Dead People Act."
Defines “eligible telecommunications carrier” as a common carrier designated under 47 U.S.C. § 214(e).
Defines “Lifeline service” to mean voice telephony or broadband internet service provided under subpart E of part 54 of title 47, C.F.R., or successor regulation.
Defines “National Verifier” by reference to 47 C.F.R. § 54.400 or any successor regulation.
Requires that an eligible telecommunications carrier use the National Verifier to verify a consumer’s eligibility before providing Lifeline service.
Directly affected: low-income people who apply for Lifeline benefits and the phone/internet providers that participate in the program. For applicants, centralized verification should reduce fraudulent enrollments and target benefits more accurately, but it may also cause delays or enrollment barriers for people who lack easy access to required documentation. For providers, the requirement creates a compliance obligation to use the National Verifier; most large providers may already be integrated but smaller carriers may need to adopt new processes or systems, incurring administrative or technical costs. Program administrators (FCC/USAC) would see more uniform data and potentially fewer improper payments, improving program integrity. No new funding or implementation date is specified, so costs of compliance likely fall on providers unless future rulemaking or appropriations address support. Overall, the measure is narrowly focused on verification mechanics rather than changing eligibility rules or benefit levels.
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Introduced in Senate