ICLE Cited in Communications Daily on Lifeline Program Reform

Communications Daily quoted ICLE in a piece on proposed reforms to the FCC’s Lifeline program, which subsidizes phone and internet service for low-income households. In a filing to the FCC, ICLE urged the Commission to avoid measures that would discourage enrollment by eligible participants. The filing addressed several specific proposals—including eliminating the opt-out framework, adopting secondary consent verification, and improving data transparency—as targeted ways to strengthen program integrity without imposing undue compliance burdens.

Read the full piece here.

The International Center for Law & Economics urged the FCC not to take steps that would discourage enrollment by qualified people. “Effective reforms must reduce waste, fraud, and abuse while preserving access for eligible households and maintaining provider participation.” Proposals such as eliminating the opt-out framework, adopting secondary consent verification, and improving data transparency “offer targeted ways to strengthen integrity,” the group said. “Overly burdensome requirements—whether through rigid eligibility rules, excessive compliance obligations, or misaligned service standards—risk deterring participation and undermining the program’s goals.”