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The Lifeline Program provides affordable access to telecommunications for needy Americans across the United States. This program has been in operation since the 1980s when the Reagan Administration agreed to allow the Federal Communications Commission to set up the Lifeline Program in response changes in the Telecommunications Act.

When the Lifeline Program was in its infancy in 1985, the intention was to provide lower-cost or, in some cases, free telephone landlines in the homes of families who could not afford it. This was normally in families who lived at or below the poverty line, or those who lived in rural communities. Rural communities often suffered the blow of expensive telecommunications bills as a result of the lack of proper infrastructure to provide access to telephone lines.

During the Bush Administration Hurricane Katrina left millions of southern Americans without homes, electricity, running water or a means of communicating with their loved ones who were missing or separated from them. The Lifeline Program was amended in order to provide free mobile phones for the victims. This meant that those living without a roof over their heads or with no access to electricity, as many of the houses were under water at this point, were able to have a means of communicating with health and safety services, or at the very least, trying to find their loved ones.

When the dust began to settle after the disaster, the Lifeline Program was never re-visited and free mobile phones became a permanent part of the government assistance program. This meant that instead of just a landline at a reduced fee (or with the installation charges waived), eligible Americans could now apply for and receive a free mobile phone.

Eligibility does vary from state to state, but generally, if one can prove that they are living at 135% of the poverty line or are a participant in one of the approved state or federal-run assistance programs, such as the Food Stamps or Free School Lunches program, one could potentially receive a free mobile phone. What is more, one would also receive free talk minutes and free texts per month. Proof would have to be given through tax returns, pay stubs, or official documentation outlining the applicants’ participation in any of the federal or state assistance programs.

It is now becoming clear, especially to the State of California, that the world has become much more advanced than what a landline telephone can possibly keep up with. Democratic Representatives Doris Matsui, Henry Waxman and Anna Eschoo have put forward a bill that proposes that the Lifeline Program expands to providing affordable broadband services to all participants by the year 2020. There are currently, according to them, 100 million American homes without access to Broadband because they cannot afford it or they do not need it. There is also another almost 20 million American homes in rural areas that do not have the network access to broadband because of a lack of infrastructure, thereby increasing the prices of broadband access.

Matsui stated that we live in a society moving towards an online community at lightning speed. As a result, businesses have gone online, healthcare has gone online, and education systems have gone online; now, even over 80% of job applications are done online. For those who do not have access to the internet as a result of expensive broadband, it is a constant struggle to stay connected and abreast of advances in technology, health and education, much less try to stay employed or in the school systems. More and more schools are moving to have their lessons done online. Students who do not have access to the internet at home are at an immediate disadvantage to those that do. Schools that are contained in the lower-income catchment areas have computers that are either too old to support any current operating systems and educational programs, or just do not even have the computers on the school grounds. This means that students that are graduating from those lower-income areas are placed at a huge competitive disadvantage compared to those students coming from more affluent areas where they are taught with all the latest technological equipment, including broadband.

This is also being seen in the employment sector, where those wanting to apply to jobs are being herded towards the internet. Application forms for most jobs are based online and are required to be filled out and emailed to the Human Resources department of the company that is providing the employment position. This proves to be very difficult for those who are unemployed and therefore unable to afford access to the internet. This also becomes a slippery slope for those who have come from areas in which their schooling has become quite limited with access to computers as a result of little to no funding. Lack of access from an early age leads to lack of knowledge in the computer world. This leads to an even further increase in the gap between the Haves and Have Not’s. Internet access is not just a luxury enjoyed by the rich minority; it has become a necessity for the vast majority.

The Federal Communications Commission has, in the last couple of years, put out a pilot program that addresses this very issue. They have provided affordable broadband service to several Lifeline participants through several broadband providers in order to test the waters. The criteria for eligibility for this pilot program have been that there must be at least one child in the household that is participating in the School Lunches Free Lunch program. The broadband access is as low as $9.95 a month for eligible families, with an opportunity to purchase a newly refurbished laptop at a very low cost as well.

Another caveat to this pilot program is that eligible households must choose between broadband, a free mobile phone or a landline. For an extra fee per month, the families can choose between several different bundle packages, with a combination of phone and broadband or broadband and mobile, or all three, at a nominal fee.

The Lifeline Program was rolled out back in the 80s in order to address the obvious divide between those who could afford telecommunications and those who, for one reason or another, could not. It was recognized back then that access to telecommunications was vital to survival in the modern world. Without access to a phone or a landline, one could not access emergency or health services or stay in contact with friends and family. This would seriously jeopardize the quality of life in the United States, and the Federal Communications Commission wanted to make sure that all Americans, regardless of income or area of residency, had the opportunity to a higher quality of life.

Now, the Lifeline Program understands that it does need to modernize even further. With the advent of the internet, it is not only just about access to a telephone in the home that is of paramount importance. Since the credit crash of 2008, many people are no longer living in a permanent residence and therefore a landline is just not a feasible option for those people. There is also the issue of those living in safe havens, such as battered women and abused teens, or those living homeless on the streets. Without access to a free mobile phone, these populations do not have access to 9-1-1 as most of the phone booths in America have now been dismantled or destroyed. What was originally seen as a sign of prosperity is now a symbol of safety. A mobile phone has saved many a life during an emergency situation and this is something that should be available to everyone, not just those who can afford it. Safety is a human right, not a luxury.

With the bill that has been forwarded by the Representatives of the State of California, it is hoped that the Lifeline Program will be able to launch universal broadband access for everyone across the USA who are participants of the Lifeline program. This is important for all American citizens, and for the country to remain competitive in the world market. The USA was recently ranked 15^th in the world, behind South Korea and Germany with respect to broadband adoption per capita, which can signify a falling behind in economics and financial aspects as well. Now that the world functions in an online community, universal access to broadband is extremely important.

Let us hope that the Lifeline Program gets the support it requires in order to make the universal broadband access a reality. Support Lifeline!

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Since the end of 2011 and early 2012, the Federal Communications Commission has been working very hard, with the government, in order to re-vamp the Lifeline Program.

The Lifeline Program provides free mobile phones and affordable access to telecommunications to millions of needy families and households in the United States. Since the 1980s, this program has addressed the digital divide between the Haves and Have-Not’s living in the United States, and has worked very hard to narrow that gap by providing access to telecommunications.

Eligibility for this program is through proof the household is either living at or below 135% of the poverty line, or they are participating in another state or federally-run approved government assistance program. Programs such as Food Stamps or residency on Tribal Lands or the Free School Lunches program are on the lists of most of the states, but the criteria does vary so please do be sure to check with the local phone company in your region. You must show your eligibility through a tax return, a pay stub or official documentation showing that you are a recipient of the other assistance programs.

Because of the very nature of this philanthropic program, many people have taken advantage of it. There have been millions of US dollars lost due to fraud, with households claiming more than one free mobile phone, individuals using fake social security numbers or addresses in order to procure more than one phone, or even companies that are receiving large subsidies from the Universal Service Fund and just handing free phones out on street corners. This has led to waste in resources and a lot of anger from certain political parties and the public, that there is a waste of tax dollars.

As a result, the existence of Lifeline is under threat. Many conservative members of parliament or heads of state are calling for the Lifeline Program to be stopped or returned to its original state in the 1980s, providing only landlines to eligible households. What is potentially dangerous about this is that the world has changed tremendously since the 80s, and a simple landline is just not enough. With most of the economy, healthcare, and educational systems online, living in this country or even in this world without access to a mobile phone or broadband access is being on the outside looking in. One could not find a job; much less keep it, without a mobile phone in this economy. One would fall behind all too easily in the school system without broadband access at home or in the schools. A landline is just not enough.

The Federal Communications Commission understands that the public is angered by the amount of fraud and waste. The FCC is very angered and agitated by the fraudsters out there as well, taking advantage of a program that was meant to help those in need, not allow the fraudsters to make a quick buck. As a result, the FCC in co-operation with the government have released a bipartisan Order to completely revamp the Lifeline Program, with the idea in mind to reduce money lost due to fraud and waste.

The original outline of the Lifeline Program, when placed in the modern world of free mobile phones, did not translate well, and as a result, there was a lot of duplication of accounts. Some individuals were signing up for two or even three accounts through the loopholes of the original Lifeline rules. Some companies were simply collecting their subsidies from the government and approving individuals left right and centre. There was no order. There were no background checks.

The FCC has since put in place a huge auditing system in order to track down duplicate accounts and kick out the fraudsters. This has resulted in almost 300,000 duplicate accounts being cancelled and a savings of $33Million. In addition, a central database is now being built and set to be ready for use by the summer of 2013. This central database will allow all companies to have access to the information of account holders in the Lifeline Program. Therefore, a duplicate account will be impossible as every single social security number will have to be verified through this database. In addition, a second database is being produced that will cross-reference eligibility of each participant in the Lifeline program. There will be an annual check of each account holder for the participant to prove that they are still eligible for the free mobile phone and subsidized internet.

All the changes are predicted to save about $2 billion US over the next three years. A good chunk of those savings will be used to better serve American families who are living at or below the poverty line with broadband access, especially in a time when access to the internet is tantamount to survival in the modern world.

The FCC has done a good job with the reforms, and hopefully the Lifeline Program will now better benefit the millions of families that need its assistance.

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Democratic Reps. Doris Matsui, Henry Waxman, and Anna Eschoo, all from California and members of the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, introduced the Broadband Adoption Act of 2013. This Act proposes that affordable broadband access should be added to the Lifeline free government cell phone program.

Their reasoning is simple: The world has changed in leaps and bounds in the past couple of decades with the advent of the internet. Companies and educational institutions are shifting the majority of their communities to the online realm. Employment methods have changed enormously in response, and now nearly 80% of all job applications are done online. University courses and College applications are done through internet forums and even cyber classes. For those who do not have internet access, they will be left behind technologically, educationally and with respect to the job market as well.

The Lifeline Program was created to provide affordable access to all Americans regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, creed, or income level. The Act needs to keep with the times, and while in the 1980s, having a landline was in keeping with modern telecommunications, broadband and mobile phones are the current forms of telecommunications today.

The FCC has started a pilot program of providing affordable broadband service to those who are eligible for the Lifeline Program in a few states. There were stringent rules, such as the household must have one child in school who is currently receiving a Free Lunch through the Free Lunches Program. Eligible families would also have the opportunity to purchase a refurbished computer for a very low fee. In addition, households who are eligible for the broadband would have to choose between a landline, mobile phone or broadband access. However, for a small increase in fee, they could choose bundles that give a combination of the above.

The world has changed into an online village. To keep up with the advances in technology, healthcare and education, one has to be connected online. To be employable or to wish success in post-secondary education, one has to be connected. Broadband is no longer a luxury for the rich and educated minority. To bring the nation’s population to a level of equality, broadband access has to be given to everyone. Otherwise those who are falling behind will continue to do so, but at an extreme speed.

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The Lifeline Program was established during the 1980s when President Reagan was in office, not during the Obama Administration. The fact that it is called ‘Obama’ phones now is incorrect, and more a result of a video of a woman coining them Obama Phones going viral.

The Lifeline Program is not currently available in every state. There are certain states that cannot provide their own funding for it; therefore, they only provide discounted phone options through local phone companies. Other states with their own funding have private carriers that work together with the Federal Communications Commission in order to provide free mobile phones, and free talk minutes and texts per month.

The Lifeline Program only provided landline services to those who were living at lower income levels or in rural areas with very little access to affordable telecommunications at its inception. This program was expanded to include mobile phones after Hurricane Katrina when millions of Americans were left stranded, without homes, clean water, electricity and a way to stay connected with health care workers, emergency services and their friends and family. The disaster awakened a new era for the Lifeline Program.

The Lifeline Program is now working to reduce the amount of fraud that has been occurring. With a new central database coming into place in the summer of 2013, the FCC hopes to save hundreds of millions of dollars by bringing an end to duplicate accounts and keeping companies accountable for the amount of free cell phones they give out.

Providing free mobile phones to poor Americans is not handing out a luxury. Access to modern day communications can be the difference between life and death, particularly for the disabled and elderly. It has free access to emergency numbers and AMBER alert system, which means it could save lives in emergency situations.

The Lifeline Program is an invaluable system that brings equality to all American citizens, and a chance at being competitive in today’s market.

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Jessica Gonzalez, a member of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, testified at a hearing before the House Energy and Commerce’s subcommittee on Communications and Technology about her views on the Lifeline Program and whether she felt that it benefitted Americans.

Gonzalez spoke of the fact that Lifeline’s goal at inception was to provide affordable access to communications for all American citizens. Lifeline wanted to promote upward mobility, not only in terms of finances, but with education, health and technology.

Jessica goes on to citing the Postal Act of 1792 which states that the American society needs to remove all barriers of communication so that everyone, regardless of their origins or social class, has access to different forms of communication. The Lifeline Program is not an Obama creation, but was created during Reagan’s reign in 1985 in order to address the inequality of access to affordable telecommunications in the USA.

Then in 1996, Congress went further with the notion of affordable telecommunications access for all citizens by creating the Universal Service Fund, the entity that provides the funding for the Lifeline Program. Congress stated, “[c]onsumers in all regions of the Nation, including low-income consumers and those in rural, insular, and high cost areas, should have access to telecommunications and information services.” It was in this spirit that the Lifeline Program continued to grow and expand.

Then the disaster of Hurricane Katrina struck during the Bush administration. Suddenly, millions of Americans were left without power, running water, and the ability to contact their loved ones or health and safety services. This was truly a dark time in recent American history.

In response, the Lifeline Program was expanded to allow the distribution of free mobile phones to provide security, safety, and a means of communication to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, as establishing landlines in a region that was largely underwater was very unrealistic.

Later, the Bush administration expanded the free mobile phones to beyond the victims of Katrina towards all Americans that were living at or below 135% of the poverty level, or were participants in other federal or state-run assistance programs.

Now Lifeline provides services to over 15 million needy Americans. While the media is peppered with those individuals who have been caught taking advantage of the program by applying for multiple phones, they ignore the one third of Lifeline participants who are elderly and the other one third who are disabled. These are the true recipients of the Lifeline Program.

Gonzalez then went onto talk about the many participants of the Lifeline Program who truly do benefit from having a free mobile phone. From the disabled mother to a child with Down syndrome who feel safer knowing that they can reach medical help whenever they need; to; the war veteran who is a double amputee who relies on the Lifeline mobile phone in order to keep in touch with friends, family and health care workers; to single parents who were unemployed, but quickly found new employment using their Lifeline mobile phone for the interview callback; to children living in youth shelters that are at high-risk for suicide and violent situations that can call for help using their Lifeline free phones: These are the majority. These are the stories that need to be placed in the media so that the public realizes how valuable this system is for the majority of the Lifeline recipients. The public not only needs to hear of the fraudsters who took advantage of the program, or the companies that hand out mobile phones on street corners in order to increase their subsidies from the government, but the stories of the people whose lives have greatly benefited from it.

As we can all see from Gonzalez’ testimony, the vast majority of those who benefit from the Lifeline program are veterans, the disabled, the elderly and the unemployed who are truly trying to make things work to support their families. There are the youth in shelters and the battered women who are trying to start a better life for themselves. These are the people who need the Lifeline free mobile phones, and these are the people we would be leaving to fend for themselves if the Lifeline Program was discontinued.

Lifeline is not only connection to society, but access to the emergency services, and AMBER alert for missing and abducted children. It literally has become a lifeline for those who were victims after Hurricane Sandy through the Personal Localized Alert Network (PLAN). There are a countless number of benefits to the Lifeline Program. Do not let the news of a few fraudsters poison your view of a program that benefits the needy majority. Support Lifeline.

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Since the video of that woman speaking about her free ‘Obama’ Phone went viral, the world has called the free government mobile phone program the ‘Obama’ Program.

To set the record straight, these are not Obama phones ‒ they were created decades before President Barack Obama took office in the 1980s while President Ronald Reagan, our favorite actor/president was sitting in the oval office.

There was a change in the Telecommunications Act that stated that all American citizens had the right to affordable access to telecommunications. This was in response to the fact that back then, and even now to an extent, many rural communities were being charged much higher rates than those living in urban areas for their phone lines. This was largely due to lack of infrastructure in the more rural regions of America, and the Telecommunications Act tried to address that fact.

The Federal Communications Commission then created the Lifeline Program, which was originally intended to provide free installation and lower-cost landlines for those who could not afford it or were living in Tribal Ground, or rural communities. Then during the Bush presidency, Hurricane Katrina hit. This disaster left millions of Americans without homes, access to health services or a means of communicating with their friends, family or loved ones. As a humanitarian reaction to this, the Lifeline Program expanded to include free mobile phones, as installing landlines in New Orleans was next to impossible. Free mobile phones were given out to stranded and homeless victims in order to provide more safety and security in a time of extreme instability.

Once mobile phones were added, they were never taken away because access to modern telecommunications obviously meant mobile phones. Those opposed to the Lifeline Program, and want to restore it to its original and archaic rules, feel that mobile phones are a luxury.

Those supporting Lifeline’s free mobile phone program see things differently. The world has now moved very quickly towards the wireless and cellular realms. Access to education, healthcare, employment, and safety services are all through the use of mobile phone and broadband. Gone are the days of free telephone booths where one could dial 9-1-1 free of charge when there was an emergency. In fact, phone booths are all destroyed, vandalized or have been taken down. This leaves those without mobile phones, stranded.

Mignon Clyburn, a member of the Federal Communications Commission, has stated publically that if the Lifeline Program was discontinued, over 15 million American families would have no access to telecommunication services. That would be over 15 million American families who will then have to choose between keeping a line of communication for healthcare services, education institutions and emergency services for them and their families, or putting food on the table, clothes on their backs, and heat in their home. This is no longer a matter of treating mobile phones as a luxury: This is a fundamental human right. Access to safety and security is a right, not a luxury for the rich few.

Many Republicans, such as Tim Griffin of Arkansas, believe that the Lifeline Program is a blatant waste of taxpayers’ money and has gotten ‘’out of control’’. He has alluded to the idea that if people can get free mobile phones from the government, what is going to stop the next phase form being free laptops for all needy Americans. Griffin would like to see the Lifeline Program brought back to its original offering of free installation of landlines, and a low monthly cost for them. This may work for some, but many who do not have a permanent address would slip through the cracks. Perhaps Griffin needs to live a few weeks without everything he has in order to truly experience what it is like to live as a Have-Not.

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The Lifeline Program provides free mobile phones and now affordable broadband service to eligible American citizens across most of the United States. The Federal Communications Commission created this program in response to an amendment in the Telecommunications Act in 1986. This Act stated that it was a fundamental human right for all Americans to have affordable access to telecommunications, including those who lived in rural communities where access was fewer and farther between than in urban areas.

Although the Lifeline and Link Up programs were created during the Reagan Administration, the costs of the program have gone from several million US dollars per year to $2.2 Billion US dollars in annual expenditure since the Obama Administration. This has brought a lot of scrutiny around President Barack Obama and his use of the public funds for this program.

Arkansas Congressman Tim Griffin has been one of the more vocal critics towards this program, stating that the handing out of free mobile phones has gone ‘’out of control.’’ He cited several situations in which his constituents’ dead relatives received free mobile phones in the mail through the Lifeline Program. As a result, he feels that there is a gross amount of waste of taxpayer’s money and government resources for the fraudulent activity that is going on in this program.

Griffin’s plan is to return the Lifeline Program to its original roots, which was to provide low-cost landlines to American families in need. This would cut back on the federal subsidies that private mobile carriers are receiving for every free mobile phone account they approve, and reduce the number of people who are able to take advantage of this program.

The flaw with this is landline is not necessarily for everyone. There are those who do not have permanent addresses, live in group homes or shelters, or are living on the street that need access to emergency numbers. With the reduction of public phone booths on the street since the advent of the mobile phone, those who are without a permanent address will be hard-pressed to find a way to call 9-1-1 if they are stuck in a dark alley.

The world is moving towards a cellular and broadband type of communication. Without access to modern telecommunications, one is left behind in the dark ages. In addition, the implications for safety and security are enormous. Take for example the situation of the young 21 year old that was able to call for help from her Lifeline free mobile phone while she was being kidnapped by a neighbor. If it weren’t for access to a mobile phone, the ending to that situation could have been much grimmer. Thankfully the perpetrator is in custody and being held on criminal charges, and the young woman is safe.

It is true that the increase in budget from the millions to the billions has largely been due to the number of people, both individuals and companies, taking advantage of this situation. Individuals have been signing up for multiple free mobile phones, using false Social Security numbers and addresses. Large mobile companies are not without blame either. They have been receiving large government subsidies for each account they give out, so they have been very relaxed about their approval procedures, even handing phones out on street corners for anyone that passes their initial questionnaire, without any proof of eligibility required.

The Federal Communications Commission has responded by tightening up their rules. There are strict audits going on and over 250,000 Americans have been kicked off the program due to fraud or duplicate accounts. Companies are now coming under tougher scrutiny with the amount of money they bill for subsidies. If they are flagged for more than $5 Million US Dollars, the FCC will scour through their records with a fine-toothed comb in order to ensure that every account is, indeed, truly eligible for the program.

Eligibility does vary from state to state, however the rules are generally pretty simple. One must be living at 135% the poverty level or a participant in one of the approved state or federal-run assistance programs, such as Food Stamps or Public Housing Section 8. Proof of participation or income eligibility must be given through tax receipts, pay stubs or official documentation.

The FCC is working very hard to bring that budget down from billions back into millions. With the new central database scheduled to be ready to use in the summer of 2013, they are forecasting a savings of hundreds of millions of US dollars by 2014.

This will mean less waste and more mobile phone services for those who are truly needy.

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How much of the public cynicism towards the Lifeline Program has more to do with a hidden social agenda, than actual facts?

Congress is very quick to blame the nation’s poor for economic problems. They say that ‘frivolous’ spending on things such as free mobile phones or broadband for those who can’t afford them is a blatant abuse of taxpayer’s money. They say that handing out free mobile phones to the poor could lead to the government wanting to give out free laptops.

What is not mentioned in a lot of these media titles is the country’s poor are not to blame for the current financial state of the United States and much of the world. The financial bailouts that occurred not once, but twice over the past 5 years, were needed as a result of the cavalier actions of a very privileged minority who tried to play God with the stock market. They failed, and the American public was left to pick up the pieces. In this situation, it was not the poor that caused billions of US dollars in debt – it was the rich minority that did it and got away with it.

The middle class Americans who lost their jobs as a result of the economic melt-down of 2008 are now driving the percentage of the population eligible for social assistance upwards. The Lifeline Program does not only service ‘’the poor’’ but it also aids the elderly, disabled, and those living in rural communities with very little network connection. However, the stark reality is that the majority of the 15 million Americans that depend on the Lifeline Program are people of color. Is this the actual political agenda behind the conservatives’ obvious disdain towards the Lifeline Program?

The Lifeline free mobile phones have been derisively called the “Obama” phones, particularly after a video went viral of an African-American woman, of referring to the phones as such. The fact is these phones were created during the Reagan Administration by the Federal Communications Commission in response to a change in the Telecommunications Act. The Act stated that all Americans had a right to have access to affordable telecommunications- thus the installation of low-cost telephone landlines was started for those living in rural communities and in lower-income financial brackets.

During the Bush administration, the Lifeline Program was extended to providing free mobile phones in response to Hurricane Katrina and the destruction that occurred in the southern states, particularly in the New Orleans area: This hurricane left millions of people homeless, without running water and access to medical supplies. Let us not forget the horrors and crimes that occurred in the Superdome that was supposed to serve as a safe house. In response to the despair of the American public, Bush allowed free mobile phones to be distributed so that those left helpless and homeless in the wake of Katrina could have access to safety, security and stay connected with their families and loved ones.

Critics are very quick to blame the individuals who have been caught taking advantage of the Lifeline Program. Yes, there have been many instances of individuals signing up for and being approved for 2, 3, in some cases 10 free mobile phones. Yes, fraud has been rampant in the past. But the Federal Communications Commission is now doing extremely detailed audits, creating a central database in order to prevent duplicate accounts, and kicking out those with duplicate accounts in order to reduce the money wasted in resources on this program. What critics are failing to recognize or mention is the fact that many of the fraudsters are contained within the private businesses themselves. Because this is a program that provides government subsidies to those mobile companies, they see it as a numbers game and a profit grab, and so they take advantage. Why are they not being punished or publically humiliated?

It seems that critics and lawmakers would rather use the poor and the disenfranchised as scapegoats, than find a way to make this extremely helpful program much more efficient and economical.

AT&T and Verizon have reaped the rewards of this philanthropic scheme, which shows that it is not the program; it’s the system that regulates our economy that seems to be the problem. They have created a pseudo monopoly (or duopoly), which has resulted in extremely high monthly bills for paying customers while the companies themselves pay very little in Federal taxes and are simply making record-breaking profits.

Perhaps it’s time that we dug a little deeper into the real story behind the criticism for the Lifeline Program. Right-wing conservatives are choosing to use this program as a platform to have their tax money go towards programs that will only benefit them, and not the public, while they go ahead and squander the public’s money in much of the same way that Wall Street did a few years ago.

Why is the public so quick to blame the poor for society’s financial problems when the criminals on Wall Street have yet to be punished? In fact, they have all walked away with fatter wallets and enormous pay-offs instead of being vilified the way that participants in the Lifeline Program are being.

Let us put this whole thing into perspective. Let’s change the system, not the program, and keep supporting programs like Lifeline that provide access to the bare necessities in order to stay safe and secure in our society. We all deserve that right, not just the rich.

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Washington DC has approved the services of Safelink Wireless and Assurance Wireless to provide free mobile phones and discounted services to their residents.

The services provided via Lifeline and Link Up with Safelink and Assurance Wireless as the carriers are a free mobile phone plus free talk time and texts per month.

Eligibility criteria for Washington DC are:

• Food Stamps
• Federal Public Housing Assistance
• Low Income Energy Assistance
• Medicaid
• Supplemental Security Income
• National School Lunch (Free lunch only)
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• 135% or below the poverty line

One must provide proof of income, or official documentation to show your participant in one of the above programs.

There are also two phone companies who provide discounted phone programs in Washington D.C.:

• Verizon
• NationsLine

Verizon offers a monthly bill of $13 for a phone line for eligible customers, and an even higher savings with a bill of only $1 for senior citizens.

NationsLine provides discounts through Lifeline at the tune of $10 /mo. off your current phone bill. To be eligible, you must fulfill the state’s requirements:

• Federal Public Housing Assistance
• Low Income Energy Assistance
• Medicaid
• Supplemental Security Income
• National School Lunch (Free lunch only)
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• Living on Federally recognized Tribal Lands
• 135% or below the poverty line

Installation fees may also be discounted at 50% (with a maximum value of $30) or for those living on Tribal lands, the discount can be up to $100.

Please check with your current telephone provider to see if they also offer discount phone programs in Washington D.C.

Support the Lifeline Program. Spread the word of the good this program is doing for the nation and its citizens.

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South Dakota is one of the Federal Default states with the Lifeline Program; meaning, they have not approved private mobile carriers, such as Safelink or Assurance Wireless, to provide free mobile phones to their residents. Instead, residents must rely on the Federally funded Lifeline or Link Up programs in order to receive free mobile phones.

Phone companies that offer discounts through the Lifeline program can give savings between $8.25 to $22.75. If you visit the USAC website (lifelinesupport.org), you can see how much each participating phone company offers in discounts. It would seem that the CRST phone company in South Dakota offers the best discount. For a complete list of all the companies in South Dakota participating in that program, please look at the website of the South Dakota Department of Public Utilities.

In addition to monthly discounts on phone bills, installation of the phone line can also be given to eligible participants. 50% of the installation fee (up to a maximum of $30) will be paid per household.

Qualifications for the Discounted Phone Service in South Dakota include:

• Food Stamps
• Federal Public Housing Assistance
• Low Income Energy Assistance
• Medicaid
• National School Lunch Free Lunch Program
• Supplemental Security Income
• Temporary Assistance to Needy Families
• Living at 135% or lower of the poverty line

The Public Utilities Commission website also provides an application form for the Lifeline Program in South Dakota. Please check with your current telephone company for further details and take advantage of this amazing social assistance program.

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