Rep. Vargas, Colleagues Urge House and Senate Leadership to Preserve the Affordable Connectivity Program
WASHINGTON - Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-52) joined 158 of his colleagues on a bipartisan letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell urging them to work to preserve the Affordable Connectivity Program, which is set to begin running out of funds next month.
Over 78,000 households in California’s 52nd Congressional District are enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program.
“The Federal Communications Commission has stated that without Congressional action, remaining ACP funds are insufficient to provide the full monthly benefit to enrollees beyond April 2024,” wrote the lawmakers. “We request that Congressional Leadership take action in the immediate future to prevent a lapse in funding that would result in a wind-down of the program. At a time when broadband accessibility is more important than ever, we cannot afford to lose the progress we have made in our efforts to bridge the digital divide.”
“Allowing the ACP to lapse for any length of time will result in a loss in trust in the program and the federal government among consumers who have come to rely on the monthly benefit and must be avoided at all costs. A potential wind-down followed by an attempt to re-enroll customers may prove too costly to providers, disincentivizing future participation in the program. We must prioritize keeping the program alive for the duration of this year to allow Congress the opportunity to reach agreement without undoing the progress made to close the digital divide,” the lawmakers continued.
Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:
Dear Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, Leader Schumer, and Leader McConnell:
We write today regarding the urgent need to preserve the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). As you know, the Federal Communications Commission has stated that without Congressional action, remaining ACP funds are insufficient to provide the full monthly benefit to enrollees beyond April 2024.
We request that Congressional Leadership take action in the immediate future to prevent a lapse in funding that would result in a wind-down of the program. At a time when broadband accessibility is more important than ever, we cannot afford to lose the progress we have made in our efforts to bridge the digital divide.
Established originally as the Emergency Broadband Benefit and signed into law under President Trump, the renamed Affordable Connectivity Program currently provides $30 per month to eligible low-income households and $75 per month for households on Tribal lands. The success of this program is undeniable as nearly 23 million American homes are currently enrolled in the Program.
Of those 23 million households, nearly half are military families worried about losing contact with their loved ones, 19% are households with seniors concerned about losing access to government benefits like Medicare and Social Security, and 26% live in rural communities. Notably, Louisiana (31%), Kentucky (26%), and New York (23%) are among the top five states in terms of ACP enrollment per household.
Reliable, affordable broadband access is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity in this increasingly digital age. Broadband access is essential with respect to accessing education, healthcare, financial opportunities, civic engagement, and more. As we saw with the COVID-19 pandemic, our education system heavily relies on broadband access as students around the country transitioned to remote learning. Remote learning also provides older Americans the flexibility often needed to complete degree and skill development programs. The proliferation of telehealth programs has also led to improved health outcomes, particularly for the elderly and those in rural communities. Moreover, telehealth reduces healthcare costs by preventing unnecessary emergency room visits and promoting a more proactive approach to healthcare management. Further, many essential government services have moved online. Today, Americans rely on broadband access to complete tasks like applying for unemployment benefits, accessing social services, paying student loans, filing taxes, registering to vote, and more. The ACP provides a lifeline to civic engagement and plays an important role in promoting innovation and competition. The program allows the federal government to leverage private sector expertise and resources to expand access to broadband in a cost-effective manner, which in turn promotes greater competition among Internet Service Providers. Finally, efforts to close the digital divide are a fiscally responsible investment for our future. As more Americans increase their educational and skill levels, improve their health with telehealth services, and become more engaged members of our civil society, we can avoid the long-term costs associated with sustained social inequality and reliance on government services.
Not only is the Affordable Connectivity Program a practical investment in America, it is wildly popular. This technology-neutral program is backed by a strong, bipartisan majority of voters, as polling has shown that 62% of Republicans, 78% of Independents, and 96% of Democrats support continuing the program.
Furthermore, as you all are aware, the ACP is also strongly supported by a bipartisan cross-section of Members of Congress, including the Rural Broadband Caucus, Problem Solvers Caucus and Tri-Caucus, Governors across the country, the US Conference of Mayors, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Association of Counties, the US Chamber of Commerce, the ACLU, a number of prominent non-profit organizations, and countless other civil society and community-based organizations, municipalities, and corporations alike. The chorus of voices calling for the continuation of the ACP is growing stronger by the day.
Your leadership on this issue is of the utmost importance and urgently needed. As we approach the wind-down period, there are ongoing conversations about adjusting the eligibility requirements to enroll and figuring out a long-term, sustainable funding solution to keep this critical program alive for years to come. While those negotiations continue, we must prioritize funding for the rest of 2024 in order to provide enough time to build consensus around a bipartisan set of reforms for the long-term health of the ACP. Even a short lapse in the program will have devastating consequences. According to a recent FCC survey, nearly half of respondents reported having either no internet service or relying solely on mobile internet service prior to receiving their ACP benefit. Allowing the ACP to lapse for any length of time will result in a loss in trust in the program and the federal government among consumers who have come to rely on the monthly benefit and must be avoided at all costs. A potential wind-down followed by an attempt to re-enroll customers may prove too costly to providers, disincentivizing future participation in the program. We must prioritize keeping the program alive for the duration of this year to allow Congress the opportunity to reach agreement without undoing the progress made to close the digital divide.
We thank you for your prompt attention to this critical broadband affordability program and urge you to meet this moment. The time has come to provide the millions of Americans with the assurance that this program will continue to serve them now and into the future. We stand ready to work with you on ensuring the Affordable Connectivity Program’s survival and await your response.
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