Notice2026-03741
Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
Primary source
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Published
February 25, 2026
Effective
February 25, 2026
Issuing agencies
Federal Communications Commission
Abstract
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC, Commission, or Agency) is modifying an existing system of records, FCC/WCB-1, Lifeline Program, subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. This action is necessary to meet the requirements of the Privacy Act to publish in the Federal Register notice of the existence and character of records maintained by the agency. The Lifeline Program (or "Lifeline") provides discounts for one Lifeline Program voice service per household and/or broadband internet access service (BIAS) to qualifying low-income individuals. Individuals may qualify for Lifeline through proof of income or participation in another qualifying program. Since the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (1996 Act), the Lifeline Program has been administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the direction of the Commission and, by delegation, of the Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB). This system of records contains information about individuals who have started an application online or applied to participate in the Lifeline Program, respondents to consumer surveys related to the Lifeline program, and enrollment representatives. The modification adds one new routine use.
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9251-9255]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-03741]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[FR ID 332371]
Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice; modified system of records.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC, Commission, or
Agency) is modifying an existing system of records, FCC/WCB-1, Lifeline
Program, subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. This action is
necessary to meet the requirements of the Privacy Act to publish in the
Federal Register notice of the existence
[[Page 9252]]
and character of records maintained by the agency. The Lifeline Program
(or ``Lifeline'') provides discounts for one Lifeline Program voice
service per household and/or broadband internet access service (BIAS)
to qualifying low-income individuals. Individuals may qualify for
Lifeline through proof of income or participation in another qualifying
program. Since the enactment of the Telecommunications Act of 1996
(1996 Act), the Lifeline Program has been administered by the Universal
Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the direction of the
Commission and, by delegation, of the Commission's Wireline Competition
Bureau (WCB). This system of records contains information about
individuals who have started an application online or applied to
participate in the Lifeline Program, respondents to consumer surveys
related to the Lifeline program, and enrollment representatives. The
modification adds one new routine use.
DATES: This modified system of records will become effective on
February 25, 2026. Written comments on the routine uses are due by
March 27, 2026. The routine uses in this action will become effective
on March 27, 2026, unless comments are received that require a contrary
determination.
ADDRESSES: Send comments to Shana Yates, Federal Communications
Commission (FCC), 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554, or to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#1666647f6077756f5670757538717960"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5424263d2235372d143237377a333b22">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shana Yates, (202) 418-0683, or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#86f6f4eff0e7e5ffc6e0e5e5a8e1e9f0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b1c1c3d8c7d0d2c8f1d7d2d29fd6dec7">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice modifies FCC/WCB-1, Lifeline
Program system of records as a result of necessary changes and updates.
The substantive changes and modifications to the previously published
version of the FCC/WCB-1 system of records includes adding one new
routine use (listed by the routine use number provided in this notice):
(20) Department of Treasury (as required by Executive Order 14249,
Protecting America's Bank Account Against Fraud, Waste, and Abuse).
SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER:
FCC/WCB-1, Lifeline Program.
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
Unclassified.
SYSTEM LOCATION:
Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), 700 12th Street
NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005; and Wireline Competition Bureau
(WCB), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), 45 L Street NE,
Washington, DC 20554.
SYSTEM MANAGER(S):
USAC administers the Lifeline Program for the FCC. Address
inquiries to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), 700
12th Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005; or Wireline
Competition Bureau (WCB), 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554.
AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
47 U.S.C. 151-154, 201-205, 214, 254, 403; Safe Connections Act of
2022, Public Law 117-223, 116 Stat. 2280.
PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM:
The Lifeline Program provides discounts for one Lifeline voice
service and/or BIAS per household, and the initial connection charge in
certain Tribal areas to support such service, to qualifying low-income
individuals, including survivors eligible to receive emergency
communications support. Individuals may qualify for Lifeline through
proof of income, proof of participation in another qualifying program,
or proof of the need for emergency communications support for
survivors, including documentation of financial hardship as defined in
FCC regulations and orders. The Lifeline Program system of records is
maintained to determine whether the applicant meets the eligibility
requirements for initial enrollment and recertification, including the
limit of one benefit per household; program administration; dispute
resolution; monitoring of enrollment representatives; and, consumer
surveys.
CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
The categories of individuals in this system include those
individuals residing in a single household who have applied for
benefits; are currently receiving benefits; are individuals who enable
another individual in their household to qualify for benefits; are
minors whose status qualifies a parent or guardian for benefits; are
individuals who have received benefits under the Lifeline Program; are
survivors seeking emergency communications support and, as required,
their alleged abusers; are individuals that respond to a consumer
survey developed using information in this system; and are individuals
acting as enrollment representatives and providing information directly
or indirectly into USAC's Lifeline Systems on behalf of an eligible
telecommunications carrier (ETC) to enroll subscribers, recertify
subscribers, or update subscriber information in the Lifeline Program.
CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
The categories of records in the system include first and last name
of the applicant, subscriber, other household members, survivor,
alleged abuser, caregiver, or consumer survey participant; date of
birth; last four digits of Social Security Number or a full Tribal
identification number; residential address; descriptive address;
address based on geographic coordinates (geolocation); internet
Protocol (IP) address; contact information; evidence of residence on
Tribal lands; qualifying program participation; financial information;
username and password; account security questions and answers; Lifeline
subscriber identification number; assigned Representative ID Number;
Lifeline participation status; amount of benefit received; documents
demonstrating eligibility; documents showing only one benefit is
received per household; voice recordings; USAC-assigned identifying
numbers, such as Application ID, Eligibility Check ID, or eligibility
ID numbers; for survivors seeking emergency communications support,
documentation related to the submission of a legitimate line separation
request to a telecommunications provider and documentation or
certification of financial hardship (such as income self-certification
or documentation related to receipt of Pell Grants or qualification for
federal nutrition programs); and signatures.
For ETC enrollment representatives who register to access the
National Verifier or National Lifeline Accountability Database the
following information may be collected: first and last name, date of
birth, the last four digits of his or her social security number, email
address, residential address, or other identity proof documentation.
RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
The sources for the information in the Lifeline Program system of
records include ETCs and their registered enrollment representatives;
applicants; consumer survey respondents; State, Tribal, and Federal
databases; and, third-party identity verifiers.
ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C.
552a(b) of the Privacy Act, all or a portion of the records or
information contained in this system may be disclosed to authorized
entities, as is determined to be relevant and necessary, outside the
FCC as a routine
[[Page 9253]]
use pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) as follows. In each of these cases,
the FCC will determine whether disclosure of the records is compatible
with the purpose(s) for which the records were collected:
1. Program Management--Records may be disclosed to USAC employees
to conduct official duties associated with the management, operation,
and oversight of the Lifeline Program, NLAD, National Verifier,
Lifeline Claims System, and Representative Accountability Database, as
directed by the Commission.
2. Application, Enrollment, and Recertification--Records may be
disclosed to facilitate the Lifeline application, enrollment, or
recertification processes, including for survivors seeking or receiving
communications support, records from this system may be disclosed to
the individual who originally submitted the records, to the individual
applicant to whom the records pertain, or to an authorized
representative, entity, or organization supporting the individual in
the application, enrollment, or recertification process.
3. Third Party Contractors--Records may be disclosed to an employee
of a third-party contractor, or subcontractor of the third- party
contractor, engaged by USAC or an ETC to, among other things, develop
the Lifeline Eligibility Database, conduct the eligibility verification
process, recertification process, run call center and email support
operations, and assist in dispute resolution.
4. Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Entity--Records may be
disclosed to an employee of the BPO engaged by USAC or an employee of a
third-party contractor engaged by the BPO to perform and review
eligibility evaluations where the National Verifier conducts such
processes for purposes of conducting the eligibility verification
process or recertification process, performing manual eligibility
verification (when needed), run call center and email support
operations, and to assist in dispute resolution.
5. State Agencies and Other Authorized State Government Entities--
Records may be disclosed to designated State agencies and other
authorized governmental entities, including State public utility
commissions, State departments of health and human services or other
State entities that share data with USAC or the FCC, and their agents,
as is consistent with applicable Federal and State laws, for purposes
of eligibility verification and recertification; administering the
Lifeline Program on behalf of ETCs in that State; performing other
management and oversight duties and responsibilities; enabling the
National Verifier to perform eligibility verification for individuals
applying for or re-certifying for Lifeline support; enabling the State
to perform eligibility verification for individuals applying for or re-
certifying for Lifeline support; providing enrollment and other
selected reports to the State; comparing information contained in the
National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD) and Lifeline
eligibility, recertification, and related systems to information
contained in state databases associated with State- administered
Lifeline Programs in order to assess differences between State and
Federal programs and make adjustments.
6. Social Service Agencies and Other Approved Third Parties--
Records may be disclosed to social service agencies and other third
parties that have been approved by USAC for purposes of assisting
individuals in applying for and recertifying for Lifeline support.
7. Federal Agencies--Records may be disclosed to other Federal
agencies for the development of and operation under data sharing
agreements with USAC or the FCC to enable the National Verifier to
perform eligibility verification or recertification for individuals
applying for Lifeline support or another federal program using Lifeline
qualification as an eligibility criterion.
8. Tribal Nations--Records may be disclosed to Tribal Nations to
perform eligibility verification or recertification for individuals
applying for Lifeline support, to provide enrollment and other selected
reports to Tribal Nations, and for purposes of assisting individuals in
applying for and recertifying for Lifeline support.
9. Service Providers--Records may be disclosed to service providers
and their registered representatives in states or territories where the
National Verifier is operating where the service provider is using the
carrier eligibility and status check Application Programming Interface
(API) to initiate Lifeline applications and eligibility checks and
complete benefit transfer requests. Records may also be disclosed to
service providers who have been designated as ETCs to facilitate the
provision of service, allow for the service provider to receive
reimbursement through the Lifeline Program, to provide information to
the relevant ETC about an ETC representative whose account has been
disabled for cause, and provide enrollment and other selected reports
to service providers.
10. FCC Enforcement Actions--When a record in this system involves
an informal complaint filed alleging a violation of the Communications
Act of 1934, as amended, or FCC regulations or orders (FCC Rules and
Regulations) by an applicant, licensee, certified or regulated entity,
or an unlicensed person or entity, the complaint may be provided to the
alleged violator for a response. Where a complainant in filing his or
her complaint explicitly requests confidentiality of his or her name
from public disclosure, the Commission will endeavor to protect such
information from public disclosure. Complaints that contain requests
for confidentiality may be dismissed if the Commission determines that
the request impedes the Commission's ability to investigate and/or
resolve the complaint.
11. Congressional Inquiries--Information may be provided to a
Congressional office in response to an inquiry from that Congressional
office made at the written request of the individual to whom the
information pertains.
12. Government-Wide Program Management and Oversight--Records may
be disclosed to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to obtain that
department's advice regarding disclosure obligations under the Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA); or the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
to obtain that office's advice regarding obligations under the Privacy
Act.
13. Other Federal Program Eligibility--Records related to an
individual's Lifeline participation or qualification status may be
disclosed to a Federal agency or contractor when a federal program
administered by the agency or its contractor uses qualification for
Lifeline as an eligibility criterion.
14. Law Enforcement and Investigation--When the FCC investigates
any violation or potential violation of a civil or criminal law,
regulation, policy, executed consent decree, order, or any other type
of compulsory obligation and determines that a record in this system,
either alone or in conjunction with other information, indicates a
violation or potential violation of law, regulation, policy, consent
decree, order, or other compulsory obligation, the FCC may disclose
pertinent information as it deems necessary to the target of an
investigation, as well as with the appropriate Federal (including the
Internal Revenue Service to investigate income eligibility
verification), State, local, Tribal, international, or multinational
agencies, or a component of such an agency, responsible for
investigating, prosecuting, enforcing, or
[[Page 9254]]
implementing a statute, rule, regulation, order, or other compulsory
obligation.
15. Litigation--Records may be disclosed to the DOJ when: (a) the
FCC or any component thereof; (b) any employee of the FCC in his or her
official capacity; (c) any employee of the FCC in his or her individual
capacity where the DOJ or the FCC has agreed to represent the employee;
or (d) the United States Government is a party to litigation or has an
interest in such litigation, and by careful review, the FCC determines
that the records are both relevant and necessary to the litigation, and
the use of such records by the DOJ is for a purpose that is compatible
with the purpose for which the FCC collected the records.
16. Adjudication--Records may be disclosed in a proceeding before a
court or adjudicative body, when: (a) the FCC or any component thereof;
(b) any employee of the FCC in his or her official capacity; (c) any
employee of the FCC in his or her individual capacity; or (d) the
United States Government, is a party to litigation or has an interest
in such litigation, and by careful review, the FCC determines that the
records are both relevant and necessary to the litigation, and that the
use of such records is for a purpose that is compatible with the
purpose for which the agency collected the records.
17. Breach Notification--Records may be disclosed to appropriate
agencies, entities (including USAC), and persons when: (a) the
Commission suspects or has confirmed that there has been a breach of
the system of records; (b) the Commission has determined that as a
result of the suspected or confirmed compromise there is a risk of harm
to individuals, the Commission (including its information systems,
programs, and operations), the Federal Government, or national
security; and (c) the disclosure made to such agencies, entities, and
persons is reasonably necessary to assist in connection with the
Commission's efforts to respond to the suspected or confirmed breach or
to prevent, minimize, or remedy such harm.
18. Assistance to Federal Agencies and Entities Related to
Breaches--Records may be disclosed to another Federal agency, Federal
entity, or USAC when the Commission determines that information from
this system is reasonably necessary to assist the recipient agency or
entity in: (a) responding to a suspected or confirmed breach or (b)
preventing, minimizing, or remedying the risk of harm to individuals,
the recipient agency or entity (including its information systems,
program, and operations), the Federal Government, or national security,
resulting from a suspected or confirmed breach.
19. Computer Matching Program Disclosure--Records may be disclosed
to (a) Federal, State, and local agencies; and (b) USAC, their
employees, and agents for the purpose of developing and conducting
computer matching programs as regulated by the Privacy Act of 1974, as
amended (5 U.S.C. 552a).
20. Department of Treasury--Records may be disclosed to the U.S.
Department of the Treasury when disclosure of the information is
relevant to review payment and award eligibility through the Do Not Pay
Working System for the purposes of identifying, preventing, or
recouping improper payments to an applicant for, or recipient of,
Federal funds, including funds disbursed by a state (meaning a state of
the United States, the District of Columbia, a territory or possession
of the United States, or a federally recognized Indian tribe) in a
state-administered, federally funded program.
21. Prevention of Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Disclosure--Records may
be disclosed to Federal agencies, non-Federal entities, their
employees, and agents (including contractors, their agents or
employees; employees or contractors of the agents or designated
agents); or contractors, their employees or agents with whom the FCC or
USAC has a contract, service agreement, cooperative agreement, or
computer matching agreement for the purpose of: (1) detection,
prevention, and recovery of improper payments; (2) detection and
prevention of fraud, waste, and abuse in Federal programs administered
by a Federal agency or non- Federal entity; (3) detection of fraud,
waste, and abuse by individuals in their operations and programs, but
only to the extent that the information shared is necessary and
relevant to verify pre- award and prepayment requirements prior to the
release of Federal funds, prevent and recover improper payments for
services rendered under programs of the FCC or of those Federal
agencies and non-Federal entities to which the FCC or USAC provides
information under this routine use.
22. Non-Federal Personnel--Records may be disclosed to non-Federal
personnel, including FCC or USAC contractors, other vendors (e.g.,
identity verification services), grantees, or volunteers who have been
engaged to assist the FCC or USAC in the performance of a contract
service, grant, cooperative agreement, or other activity related to
this system of records that has not been otherwise identified in this
Notice and who need to have access to the records in order to perform
their activity.
23. Consumer Survey Development and Execution--Records may be
disclosed to contractors, grantees, experts, consultants and their
agents, or others performing or working under a contract service,
grant, or cooperative agreement with the FCC or USAC, when necessary to
develop and conduct consumer surveys as described in this system of
records. Individuals who are provided information under these routine
use conditions are subject to Privacy Act requirements and disclosure
limitations imposed on the Commission.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF RECORDS:
The information pertaining to the Lifeline Program includes
electronic records, files, data, paper documents, records, and may
include audio recordings of calls. Records are maintained in secure,
limited access areas. Physical entry by unauthorized persons is
restricted through use of locks, passwords, and other security
measures. Both USAC and its contractors will jointly manage the
electronic data housed at USAC and at the contractors' locations. Paper
documents and other physical records (i.e., tapes, compact discs, etc.)
will be kept in locked, controlled access areas. Paper documents
submitted by applicants to the Lifeline Program will be digitized, and
paper copies will be immediately destroyed.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF RECORDS:
Information in the Lifeline Program system of records may be
retrieved by various identifiers, including, but not limited to the
individual's name, last four digits of the Social Security Number
(SSN), Tribal identification number, date of birth, phone number,
residential address, and Lifeline subscriber identification number.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF RECORDS:
The information in this system is maintained and disposed of in
accordance with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Records Schedule DAA-0173-2017-0001-0002 (Universal Service).
ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUARDS:
The electronic records, data, and files are maintained in the FCC
and the USAC computer network databases, which are protected by the
FCC's and USAC's privacy safeguards, a comprehensive and dynamic set of
safety and security protocols and
[[Page 9255]]
features that are designed to meet all Federal IT privacy standards,
including those required by OMB, the National Institute of Standard and
Technology (NIST) and the Federal Information Security Modernization
Act of 2014 (FISMA). In addition, access to the electronic files is
restricted to authorized USAC and contractors' supervisors and staff
and to the FCC's IT supervisors and staff and to the IT contractors who
maintain these computer databases. Other FCC employees and contractors
may be granted access only on a ``need-to-know'' basis. In addition,
data in the network servers for both USAC and its contractors will be
routinely backed-up. The servers will be stored in secured environments
to protect the data.
The paper documents and files are maintained in file cabinets in
USAC and the contractors' office suites. The file cabinets are locked
when not in use and at the end of the business day. Access to these
files is restricted to authorized USAC and its contractors' staffs.
RECORDS ACCESS PROCEDURES:
Individuals wishing to request access to and/or amendment of
records about themselves should follow the Notification Procedures
below.
CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
Individuals wishing to request an amendment of records about
themselves should follow the Notification Procedures below.
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:
Individuals wishing to determine whether this system of records
contains information about themselves may do so by writing to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6515170c1304061c250306064b020a13"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3d4d4f544b5c5e447d5b5e5e135a524b">[email protected]</span></a>. Individuals requesting access must also comply with
the FCC's Privacy Act regulations regarding verification of identity to
gain access to the records (47 CFR part 0, subpart E).
EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM:
None.
HISTORY:
89 FR 28777 (Apr. 19, 2024).
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-03741 Filed 2-24-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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