Attorney General Phil Weiser statement regarding SCOTUS ruling on FCC Universal Service Fund

June 27, 2025 (DENVER) – Attorney General Phil Weiser issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Federal Communications Commission v. Consumers’ Research:

“I am pleased the Supreme Court chose to uphold the Universal Service Fund, which is a critical lifeline to communication for tens of thousands of people in Colorado and millions of people across the country. Access to affordable broadband, wireline, and wireless service is a necessity for participating in the modern economy, not a luxury.

I led a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general in support of the fund because of the urgent need to protect it against this ill-conceived attack. Thanks to this ruling, communities in the eastern plains, mountains, and the San Luis Valley, along with both public schools serving high-poverty neighborhoods and private religious schools, will continue to have the internet and phone services they need.

As attorney general, I have consistently fought for rural Colorado, and I will continue to fight against threats to the livelihoods and well-being of people in rural communities in every corner of the state.”

The Universal Service Fund, or USF, was established as part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to promote the infrastructure necessary to provide nationwide communications services, including for rural communities, schools, and low-income users. The resources allocated by the Federal Communications Commission through the USF help make it financially feasible for companies to provide service in those areas and for communities to afford it.

Locally, every school district in the state uses the USF’s E-Rate program to make sure students and district employees have internet access, with discounts of up to 90% for areas with the highest need, and accounting for well over half of the cost of statewide school internet service. Colorado communities have benefited from over $670 million in USF funds since 1998.

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Media Contact:
Lawrence Pacheco
Chief Communications Officer
(720) 508-6553 office | (720) 245-4689 cell
lawrence.pacheco@coag.gov