Starting Wednesday, millions of Americans around the country will begin to pay more for internet access as a federal program championed by President Joe Biden comes to an end in the absence of action by Congress.
The Affordable Connectivity Program gives qualifying households a discount of up to $30 on their monthly internet cost, with tribal households receiving up to $75 off a month. But with the program nearly out of money, subsidies will be reduced to $14 in May ($35 for tribal households) before completely fading by June if Congress does not approve more funding.
The program – made possible by $14.2 billion in the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure act passed by congress and signed by Biden in 2021 – is a major part of the president’s agenda to connect people to high-speed internet and close the digital divide.
Biden, who often says high-speed internet is now a necessity rather than a luxury — lawmakers in both parties have expressed similar sentiments — has pledged to connect every American to high-speed internet by 2030.
“The Affordable Connectivity Program is the most effective program we’ve had in helping low-income Americans get online and stay online,” Geoffrey Starks, a commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, said in an interview with Spectrum News on Wednesday.
Starks said more than 23 million households rely on the program, amounting to one out of every six households in the U.S.
“Nationwide, one in every six households is enrolled in this program, nearly half nationwide are military families, nearly a quarter nationwide are seniors, nearly 50% are Black and brown households,” he added.
Despite some bipartisan efforts to extend the program, Congress has yet to approve more funding. While several lawmakers in both parties have put forward efforts to renew the program, others have expressed concerns about the program’s cost amid a wider fight over federal spending.
Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., introduced a bipartisan and bicameral bill earlier this year that would provide $7 billion for the Affordable Connectivity Program. The legislation is co-sponsored by Republican Sens. JD Vance of Ohio, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and Roger Marshall of Kansas as well as Democratic Senc. Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Sherrod Brown of Ohio. Reps. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y. and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., are shepherding the bill in the House.
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman on Wednesday introduced a bill seeking to make the program permanent by funding it through broadband and edge service providers rather than having the money appropriated in Congress’ annual funding process.
The White House, which has consistently berated the Hill’s lack of action on the topic in recent months, noted that Biden asked lawmakers to approve $6 billion for the program in his supplemental request in October of last year.
Nearly two years ago, Biden secured commitments from 20 providers to increase their internet speed or offer an additional discount to households enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program.
In a fact sheet on Wednesday, the White House called on internet service providers directly to provide discounts or offer low-cost plans.
“Funding this program as quickly as possible is the best path forward,” Stark said. “If we do end up after May where we have no funding anymore, we are going to need to work with internet service providers on how we absolutely are going to make sure that these low-income and vulnerable households continue to stay connected. “
“But really the point is that the funding has to happen right now,” Stark said earlier.
Spectrum News’ parent company, Charter Communications, is one of the internet providers that offers the ACP benefit and has created a pre-written email for customers to send to their elected representatives to inform them they need the program extended or replaced.
“Despite our best efforts, the federal government anticipates funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) may only remain through the month of April 2024, impacting over 23 million families across all Internet and Mobile providers nationwide,” a message on Spectrum’s website reads.
Broadband providers Verizon, Xfinity and AT&T also have resources on their websites aimed at keeping customers enrolled in the program connected with other affordable plans.
Spectrum News’ Susan Carpenter contributed to this report.
Tyler Fields is your internet guru, delving into the latest trends, developments, and issues shaping the online world. With a focus on internet culture, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, Tyler keeps readers informed about the dynamic landscape of the internet and its impact on our digital lives.
