WASHINGTON (AP) - Verizon Communications Inc. spent nearly $3.9 million in
the first quarter to lobby on various Internet matters, electronic surveillance
legislation and other issues, according to a disclosure report.
The carrier also lobbied the federal government on legislation involving
telephone taxes, patent reform, intellectual property, health technology and
other health care issues.
Verizon also supports reform of a federal program -- paid for by a tax on
the phone bills of most Americans -- that subsidizes Internet service in rural
areas.
Wireless providers have come to rely on the fund for a substantial part of
their revenue, but the Federal Communications Commission recently approved a cap
on such subsidies to those carriers. The move could benefit big telephone
companies, such as Verizon, whose customers are the biggest contributors to the
fund.
In the January-to-March period, the New York-based company lobbied Congress,
White House and the Treasury, Health and Human Services and Labor departments,
according to the report filed April 21 with the House clerk's office.
Marcela Zamora, senior policy director for Hispanic affairs for Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is among those registered to lobby for the
company, the report noted.
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