WASHINGTON, DC - House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Gregg Harper (R-MS) today sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding 9-1-1 fee diversion and its impact on public safety.
Since 2009, 21 states and one territory have reported to the FCC diverting over $1 billion of 9-1-1 fees for unrelated purposes. Other states, territories, and the District of Columbia have not submitted expenditure information to the FCC, indicating 9-1-1 fee diversion may be even more prevalent than reported. The letter seeks a briefing from the FCC to better understand how this practice affects public safety and what can be done to prevent fee diversion in the future.
Walden, Blackburn, and Harper wrote: “The amount of 9-1-1 funds that have been diverted for nearly a decade is troubling. When critical moments occur, all Americans rely on 9-1-1 to provide emergency services. Diverting 9-1-1 fees may result in understaffed calling centers, training issues, longer wait times during an emergency, and inhibit the transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 systems so 9-1-1 call centers can flourish with digital age technologies."
