SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act of 2025’’.

S. 1651 – Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act of 2025

SECTION 2. LOWERING BROADBAND COSTS FOR CONSUMERS.

(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:

• Broadband Internet Access Service: The term ‘‘broadband internet access service’’ has the meaning given the term in section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation.
• Broadband Provider: The term “broadband provider” means a provider of broadband internet access service.
• Commission: The term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Federal Communications Commission.
• Edge Provider: The term ‘‘edge provider’’ means a provider of online content or services, including—
1. A digital advertising service;
2. A search engine;
3. A social media platform;
4. A streaming service;
5. An app store;
6. A cloud computing service;
7. An over-the-top messaging service or any other service that enables texting;
8. A videoconferencing service;
9. A video gaming service; and
10. An e-commerce platform.

(b) LOWERING BROADBAND COSTS FOR CONSUMERS.—Section 254(d) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254(d)) is amended—

• by striking ‘‘Every’’ and inserting the following:
• (1) IN GENERAL.—Every’;
• by adding at the end the following:
• “(2) RULEMAKING.— (A) INITIAL RULEMAKING.—Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of the Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act of 2025, the Commission shall complete a rulemaking to reform the Universal Service Fund by expanding the contribution base so that broadband providers and edge providers, except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, contribute on an equitable and nondiscriminatory basis to the specific, predictable, and sufficient mechanisms established by the Commission to preserve and advance universal service.”;

(c) SUPPORTING BROADBAND PROVIDERS.

• Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall complete a rulemaking to adopt a new mechanism under the high-cost program of the Universal Service Fund that will provide specific, predictable, and sufficient support for expenses incurred by a broadband provider that is an eligible telecommunications carrier in providing supported services to the extent that such expenses are not otherwise recovered from revenues earned from the assessment of just, reasonable, and affordable rates on end users in high-cost areas or from other universal service support mechanisms.”;

(d) ENFORCEMENT BY THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION.

• Except as otherwise provided, the Commission shall enforce this Act in the same manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) were incorporated into and made a part of this Act.”;
• Any person who violates this Act shall be subject to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and immunities provided in the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.).

PURPOSE; RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

(1) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to direct the Commission to require contributions to the Universal Service Fund from edge providers and broadband providers and to modify the high-cost program to promote affordable and available broadband. (2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall be construed to provide the Commission with—

• (A) any new authority over broadband providers; or
• (B) any authority over edge providers other than as described in paragraph (1).