Ms. Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary Federal Communications Commiss ion 445 Twelfth Street, SW Washington, DC 20554 Re: MB Docket No. 17-287, Bridging the Digital Divide for Low-Income Consumers Dear Ms. Dortch, Enclosed please find the comments and petition signatures of 4,094 Free Press members telling the Federal Communications Commission to terminate the Lifeline proceeding. The petition reads: To FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and Commissioners Mike O’Rielly and Brendan Carr: By rolling back the Lifeline program, you will be eliminating affordable phone and internet-access options for millions of poor people. Low-income families, the elderly, people with disabilities, people living on tribal lands, veterans, people of color and unhoused people all need Lifeline. There’s no justification for moving forward with such a cruel and heartless plan. Please terminate the FCC’s Lifeline proceeding. We urge the FCC to listen to communities and terminate it's proceeding on Lifeline. Thank you for your time and consideration. Best, Candace Clement Campaign Director Free Press/Free Pre ss Action Free Press Free Press Peoples medical records are tied to phone numbers now with new technology. Losing your lifeline can cause havoc with medical records —Jeff Zarazinski, Moline, IL Lifeline is important to me and my family. —Angela Livingston, Richland, WA Don’t cut the lifeline that millions of lower income families and elderly folks depend upon for emergencies and everyday life. It is an essential service to many who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it and it costs nothing in tax subsidies. —Ms. Carol Ortiz, Montgomery, TX Please don't roll back on lifeline program please. —Luna Buns, La Crosse, VA Quit worshiping the almighty dollar & do something RIGHT for a change! —Terry L Warkentine, Albuquerque, NM Stop this now. Stand up for America by not taking rights away! —Heather McClaskey, Salem, OH You shouldn't have to be rich to afford the internet. —Gary Gall, Cambria, CA If you go forward with this plan, you prove just how much you hate poor people. Being poor is not a crime. It is not evidence of moral failure. It does not need your additional punishment. —Bruce Hlodnicki, INDIANAPOLIS, IN All utility rates are going up. Income isn't and you want to get rid of this little subsidy? Same on you. —JL Ivey, Berea, OH Please identify your self or I won't answer. Too many robo calls —Maureen J. Begley, Overgaard, AZ Is the goal here just to be as cruel as possible? How about some common decency - think of how your grandchildren will think of you. —Tim Isom, San Francisco, CA Do no evil. Do not cut Lifeline. —Diane L. Kopan, chicago, IL The FCC is a criminal department staffed by criminal Republicans. They must be purged, Stalin-era style, and replaced with personnel who have not sold their miserable souls to placate their corporate masters. Good God, how much lower can the Republicans go? All the way to the ending of our democratic republic, I fear. —Wayne Carr, Bethlehem, PA I used to write a newsletter for the International Economic Development Council, and I often heard how much trouble rural areas had attracting jobs because they didn't have good enough telecommunications infrastructure. This budget cut would do them more harm. Don't allow it! —Kathryn A. Burns, Austin, TX Free Press You're doing this... because the monthly subsidy is just too much of a burden for the massively profitable companies that are trying to get you to take this program down??? —Patrick Bosold, Fairfield, IA Leave Lifeline Alone it is a vital federal program that helps the poor and marginalized communities connect to telecommunications services. —Carmen Nichols, Chandler, AZ Denying basic services to desperate people is immoral. Maintain and improve Lifeline!! —Thomas Scarpinatto, Portland, OR Keep Internet available to all US citizens —Dana Hambelton, Rio Dell, CA The repercussions of short-sighted actions can be devastating. Don’t do it. —Chad D Johnston, Portland, OR The Lifeline program is critical to help people move out of poverty. Do NOT take it away from those who need it. Support Americans! —Gerri Foley, Louisville, CO These people have more love for money than their fellow humans, and that isnt right. —Natalia Mieses, Athens, NY impeach criminal trump now before he does more damage —Richard Kunkel, wadsworth, OH This is a terrible idea. The obstacles created for the children to be successful in school alone should prevent it from even being considered. —Susan Stutz, Cherry Valley, MA Free internet for all people —Henry Green, Merrillville, IN How many ways will the FCC figure out how to harm low income families, as well as rural communities? They just won't stop. I hope this will stop them. —Ellen Zarter, Bellevue, WA Why do you propose doing an awful thing like this? To please your corporate overlords? —Jeanine Center, Ann Arbor, MI We rival the Medieval times for reviling and punishing the poor for the crime of not having more money in the face of racism. Lifeline is exactly that. This is an issue of free speech. —Ria Tanz Kubota, El Sobrante, CA WAKE UP!! —Edward Drinkwater, malvern, PA We need to see that Lifeline be saved! —Robert Miland Taylor, Clearlake, CA Is this a contest to see which department of government can be the most cruel? Is this who we are? The Home of the Cruel? Free Press —Michael Kemper, San Francisco, CA I depend on it —Michael McGee, Montgomery, AL Everyone, but most particularly children, need internet Access. It is a fundamental learning experience and must be protected! —Jo Ann McGreevy, Hackensack, NJ Leave net neutrality alone! Leave it absolutely alone! If you destroy net neutrality, it could spell disaster for everybody! Prices would go absolutely ridiculously high and Beyond! Enough, is enough, is enough! As we said, leave... Net neutrality... Alone, now! —Christopher C. Gagliardi, Englewood, NJ Do you care about the future of our country, our children are our most valuable resource please protect their ability to thrive and our country will as well! —M H, Bellevue, WA Lifeline is a critically important service for thousands of Americans. Killing this program would not only further restrict low-income families, but also prevent kids from completing paperless school work and lead to increased unemployment rates. The FCC’s own studies have concluded that rural broadband access directly effects college enrollment and graduation rates. Ajit Pai and the circus that the FCC has become, cannot get away with killing Lifeline or their atrocious plan to enact Net Neutrality. —Harrison John, Maryville, TN Just another example of this administration's cruelty and general meanness. How do you all sleep at night? —Betsy Smith, Brewster, MA Have a heart! —Mj Cittadino, Redondo Beach, CA This program needs to be preserved. It is essential. Full stop. —Donald W. Henderson Ph.D., Ithaca, NY Electronic communication is essential for job seekers, health reasons, and many other things. Lifeline is needed and must not be compromised. —Jack Bohnhoff, Brooklyn Park, MN Don't try to enslaving everyone with your corporate slavery, corporate clown. —Justin Perez, San Diego, CA It should be strengthened, not cut. —Richard D Brabham, Richmond, CA I am a teacher in a low income school. Many of my students use this access to do research for their assignments. Please do not destroy their access to Lifeline. Please terminate the FCC's Lifeline proceeding. —Kathy Doran, Sebastopol, CA with access for all citizens there is no 911---there is no connection to the world----or seeing what the government is doing in the People's name. SHAME on YOU, FCC. —G Casey, altadena, CA Don't promote or condone a plutocracy in America that neglects and discriminates against those who are not the elite upper-crust. Remember "we the People"! —Martin Wolf, Colorado Spgs, CO Free Press Shame on you! —Susan Detato, Brownington, VT Lifeline is a lifeline. Please do not jeopardize all the good it does. We're already dealing with the possible lack of net neutrality and now you add this to your what-can-we-do-to-hurt-the-mos t-people list. Way to go, uncaring authorities! —Susan Donaldson, Boulder, CO You reduce your welfare and jail costs by educating your children! —Ethel Renner, Fall City, WA This is the hallmark of a degenerate leadership. Don’t blame the condition of the world or the economy. This one falls squarely on our leaders. —Cox Carolyn, Everett, WA Please stop being evil. —Debra A. Hoffman, Eden Prairie, MN My roommate and I relied on the Lifeline program when we were in college, because we earned so little money at our respective part-time jobs (and, of course, we had to pay tuition). This program is literally a lifesaver for many people who otherwise would not be able to pay for their telecommunications services, and it should be retained at all cost! —Wendy Lohman, Los Angeles, CA When you only allow the rich to learn, your country will fail. —Linda Gillaspy, Reno, NV There was a time in my life when I needed the Lifeline service or I would not have had access to telecommunications. I can't imagine why there is any need to eliminate this program, and I'm 100% against that. We NEED the Lifeline program for people in need. Please don't get rid of it. —Laura Zielke, Kernersville, NC Lifeline telephone service is ( and has been for years ) a basic element in keeping lower income families and individuals capable on maintaining relatively safe and secure lives in a turbulent troubling world.