This week, we saw fierce budgetary debates in the halls of Congress. Thankfully, a government shutdown was averted, but there is an additional underreported threat looming if Congress doesn’t act soon: 21.5 million households in the U.S. could lose access to an affordable internet.
The bipartisan Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) provides monthly subsidies for low-income Americans to get online. The program first launched as the Trump-era Emergency Broadband Benefit during COVID, and the Biden administration transitioned it to its current form in November 2021.
And it’s been a great success: the ACP has now connected nearly 60 million Americans to broadband, many of whom have never previously had internet access at home. However, funds are expected to run out by April 2024, leaving those millions of Americans suddenly without affordable access or access at all.
Eliminating this subsidy threatens to unplug folks who need internet access the most — and will have dire consequences. Rural American households will not only be without critical resources, like telehealth and online school, they will also miss out on the growing digital economy.
In my work as the CEO of INCOMPAS, the internet and competitive networks association, I hear stories every day about the ways that connectivity improves American lives. Internet access fuels businesses and job opportunities, opening the door to broader markets for products and services, as well as talent pools for hiring. The internet has become just as essential to our daily lives as water or power.
During my time in Congress, I focused on ensuring Mississippians had access to broadband. But access to affordable broadband is crucial for every community. No one should be left behind because of their zip code. That’s the same for rural Americans and urban Americans.
This idea has wide support from both sides of the aisle, with red states and blue states equally participating in the program. The digital divide knows no party.
The ACP plays a pivotal role in local communities, and ending the program would set us back years in our effort to overcome the affordability gap — a barrier that accounts for two-thirds of our nation’s digital divide. As we continue to build out our networks with billions of dollars in funding from the bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we need to ensure that Americans can afford to access these networks, so our investment does not go to waste.
That’s why I ask our Congress to act swiftly to appropriate funds for the ACP. It’s the responsible thing to do for Americans.
Chip Pickering is CEO of INCOMPAS, Previously, he was a six-term congressman representing Mississippi’s Third District. During his time in the House, he served on the Energy and Commerce Committee and as a member of Telecommunications Subcommittee.