HR 7963 Re-checks Congress.gov for new actions and updates the bill's status, and fills in any sponsors, committees, or related bills that are missing. It does not re-pull sponsors/cosponsors/committees/related — those rarely change — and it skips all work if nothing has changed upstream, so it's cheap to click.
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to promulgate regulations to improve the Lifeline program of the Commission, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill directs the Federal Communications Commission to strengthen eligibility verification for the Lifeline program, which provides subsidized telephone service to low-income consumers. The FCC must require use of the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier and Accountability Database for all eligibility determinations and re-verify current recipients who were approved using other systems. Additionally, only United States citizens or qualified aliens may receive assistance, and applicants must provide a Social Security number or Tribal identifier.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
1 cosponsor
- Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26] (R-TX)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Jay Obernolte’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $69,760
- GOOGLE $17,500
- ROUTE 66 SHOOTING $13,200
- APPLE VALLEY COMMUNICATIONS $13,200
- CHANDI GROUP USA $13,200
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Jay Obernolte → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Mar 17, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. · house
- Mar 17, 2026 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 17, 2026
Mr. Obernolte introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to promulgate regulations to improve the Lifeline program of the Commission, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “No Lifeline for the Dead Act”.
SEC. 2. LIFELINE PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT.
(a) In General.—Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall promulgate regulations with respect to the Lifeline program to provide for the following:
(1) The eligibility of a consumer for assistance under such program shall be determined using the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier and the National Lifeline Accountability Database, without any option for opting out of such Verifier or such Database on the basis of a State or other system related to eligibility determinations.
(2) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, any consumer whose eligibility for assistance under such program was determined without use of the National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier and the National Lifeline Accountability Database—
(A) shall have the eligibility of such consumer for assistance under such program reexamined and determined using such Verifier and such Database; and
(B) shall be no longer eligible for assistance under such program if determined ineligible pursuant to a reexamination under subparagraph (A).
(3) Only a consumer who is a citizen of the United States or a qualified alien shall be eligible for assistance under such program.
(4) Only a consumer who provides, as part of the application process for assistance under such program, the Social Security number (or a Tribal identifier) of such consumer shall be eligible for assistance under such program.
(b) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) Lifeline program.—The term “Lifeline program” means the Lifeline program of the Federal Communications Commission, set forth in subpart E of part 54 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
(2) National lifeline accountability database.—The term “National Lifeline Accountability Database” has the meaning given such term in section 54.400 of subpart E of part 54 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
(3) National lifeline eligibility verifier.—The term “National Lifeline Eligibility Verifier” has the meaning given such term in section 54.400 of subpart E of part 54 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
(4) Qualified alien.—The term “qualified alien” has the meaning given such term in section 431 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1641). <all>
Comments