FCC Extends Gift Rule Waiver
The FCC extends the Gift Rule Waiver through December 31, 2020.
Overview
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused unprecedented disruptions across
the country, including to rural health care providers and schools and libraries
that receive support for communications needs through the Commission’s Rural
Health Care (RHC) and E-Rate programs.1 On March 18, 2020, the Wireline
Competition Bureau (Bureau) temporarily waived the Commission’s gift rules
applicable to the RHC and E-Rate programs to assist rural health care providers
and schools and libraries affected by the pandemic.2 We subsequently waived on
a temporary basis an RHC program administrative deadline to allow participants
of that program to concentrate their attention on responding to COVID-19.3
These waivers are set to expire on September 30, 2020. Due to the ongoing
disruptions caused by COVID-19 to program participants and the continued need
for robust connectivity,4 we find good cause to extend our waivers of the RHC
and E-Rate program gift rules through December 31, 2020.5 In addition, we waive
the RHC deadline for responding to information requests from the Universal
Service Administrative Company (USAC) through December 31, 2020. Finally, we
direct USAC to provide a 30-day extension to E-Rate program participants
impacted by the pandemic that request extension to respond to certain USAC
information requests, including those related to Program Integrity Assurance
(PIA) requests, issued through December 31, 2020. With our action, we continue
to ensure health care providers, schools, and libraries can benefit from
communications technologies during this unprecedented time, while easing administrative
burdens on program participants so that they might focus on responding to
the ongoing pandemic.
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