Caption
Chinese People's Liberation Army honour guard members march during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on November 12, 2025, in Beijing, China. (Getty Images)
Hudson Institute hosted Commissioner Michael O’Rielly to discuss the capping of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Federal Universal Service Fund (USF). The conversation was moderated by the Director of Hudson’s Center for the Economics of the Internet Harold Furchtgott-Roth.
Initiated under the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the USF was developed to encourage investment in universal telecommunications access. Funded entirely by telecommunications services user fees, the size of the USF has grown in recent years to more than $10 billion annually. This has led some in the FCC, including Commissioner O’Rielly and Chairman Ajit Pai, and members of Congress to propose a budget cap for the fund. Commissioner O’Rielly will discuss the implications of a budget cap on the USF.
Related Events
20
January 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Canceled | A Conversation with Former METI Minister Nishimura on the Takaichi Government’s Economic Strategy
Featured Speakers:
Yasutoshi Nishimura
Kenneth R. Weinstein
20
January 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Canceled | A Conversation with Former METI Minister Nishimura on the Takaichi Government’s Economic Strategy
On January 20, Hudson Japan Chair Kenneth R. Weinstein will host Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, former head of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), for remarks on the Takaichi government’s economic security strategy.
Featured Speakers:
Yasutoshi Nishimura
Kenneth R. Weinstein
22
January 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Why Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Matter for America
Featured Speakers:
Bay Fang
Lisa Curtis
Alexis Mrachek
Hyun-Seung Lee
Moderator:
Olivia Enos
22
January 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Why Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Matter for America
At Hudson, policymakers, experts, and stakeholders will gather for a conversation on next steps the US government should take to provide a future for RFA and RFE/RL and ensure comprehensive information access around the globe.
Featured Speakers:
Bay Fang
Lisa Curtis
Alexis Mrachek
Hyun-Seung Lee
Moderator:
Olivia Enos
27
January 2026
In-Person Event | Washington Convention Center
Apex Defense Conference 2026
Featured Speakers:
Bryan Clark
Nadia Schadlow
Timothy A. Walton
27
January 2026
In-Person Event | Washington Convention Center
Apex Defense Conference 2026
Apex Defense, in collaboration with Hudson Institute, will host a dynamic defense technology event that unites warfighters, acquisition professionals, startups, small and medium businesses, investors and industry leaders to tackle operational challenges from the seabed to space.
Featured Speakers:
Bryan Clark
Nadia Schadlow
Timothy A. Walton
29
January 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Pax Silica: Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg on the AI Race and Economic Security
Featured Speakers:
Jacob Helberg
Joel Scanlon
29
January 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Pax Silica: Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg on the AI Race and Economic Security
Please join Under Secretary Helberg and Hudson Executive Vice President Joel Scanlon for a discussion on the Pax Silicia initiative, America’s strategy to win the global AI race, and the new geopolitical imperatives of economic security and technology.
Featured Speakers:
Jacob Helberg
Joel Scanlon
Related Research
Caption
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation headquarters is seen on October 1, 2008, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images)
Caption
The Ukrainian flag and the Motherland Monument in Kyiv on August 23, 2025. (Getty Images)
Caption
A rat guard painted in the tricolor of the French flag is seen as the French Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is docked in Indonesia on January 28, 2025. (Getty Images)
