Caption
Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on April 10, 2025. (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
09
September 2026
Past Event
Transferring Spectrum from the Federal to the Non-federal Domain: The View from NTIA
Featured Speakers:
Tricia J. Paoletta
Thomas Hazlett
J. Gregory Sidak
Harold Furchtgott-Roth
09
September 2026
Past Event
Transferring Spectrum from the Federal to the Non-federal Domain: The View from NTIA
Join Hudson Institute's Center for the Economics of the Internet for a keynote address given by Tricia Paoletta on the Trump administration's progress in managing and reallocating the electromagnetic radio frequency spectrum from the federal domain.
Featured Speakers:
Tricia J. Paoletta
Thomas Hazlett
J. Gregory Sidak
Harold Furchtgott-Roth
10
September 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Strengthening the US-Japan Alliance Through Semiconductor and AI Partnerships
Featured Speakers:
William Chou
Atsuyoshi Koike
Arvind Krishna
Bill Guidera
Kazumi Nishikawa
10
September 2026
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Strengthening the US-Japan Alliance Through Semiconductor and AI Partnerships
Join Hudson Institute’s Japan Chair for a conference to showcase and strengthen US-Japan cooperation in semiconductors and AI. US Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Innovation and Engagement Bill Guidera will deliver an opening keynote before engaging in a fireside chat with Senior Fellow William Chou.
Featured Speakers:
William Chou
Atsuyoshi Koike
Arvind Krishna
Bill Guidera
Kazumi Nishikawa
14
September 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Somaliland as a Strategic Partner in the Horn of Africa
Featured Speakers:
Joshua Meservey
President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi ("Irro")
14
September 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Somaliland as a Strategic Partner in the Horn of Africa
In his first visit to the United States since winning the presidency in November 2024, Somaliland President Abdirahman “Irro” Mohamed Abdullahi will deliver a keynote speech at Hudson Institute followed by a fireside chat with Senior Fellow Joshua Meservey.
Featured Speakers:
Joshua Meservey
President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi ("Irro")
15
September 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Contested Lebanon: Israel, Iran, and US Strategy in a Fractured State
Featured Speakers:
Ludovic Hood
Hanin Ghaddar
Joel Rayburn
Hussain Abdul Hussain
15
September 2026
In-Person Event | Invite Only
Contested Lebanon: Israel, Iran, and US Strategy in a Fractured State
Experts from leading Washington think tanks will come together to discuss the prospects for stability in Lebanon and for future Israeli-Lebanese relations.
Featured Speakers:
Ludovic Hood
Hanin Ghaddar
Joel Rayburn
Hussain Abdul Hussain
Related Research
Caption
EU flags fly in front of the Berlaymont, the EU Commission headquarter, on February 17, 2025, in Brussels, Belgium. (Getty Images)
Caption
(Screenshot via YouTube)
Caption
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during morning trading on August 18, 2026, as stocks open lower amid concerns about persistently rising inflation and elevated oil prices. (Getty Images)
