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A bipartisan letter signed by 174 mayors from around the United States has joined a chorus of voices calling for legislators to extend the Affordable Connectivity Program, which is due to run out of funding by April this year.
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has been a key tool for communities working to eliminate the digital divide in the United States but, according to a letter signed by 174 mayors urging renewed funding for the program, Congressional inaction threatens recent progress.
The letter, which was released Jan. 16 by the United States Conference of Mayors, was addressed to the Speaker of the House, the Senate majority leader, the Senate minority leader, and the House minority leader.
“Extending the Affordable Connectivity Program will help close the digital divide, allow Americans to access the resources they need, and strengthen the U.S. economy to compete in the 21st Century,” the letter stated.
The letter was signed by mayors from both major parties, like Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego (D) and Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker (R). It argued that access to high-quality broadband is essential for Americans.
“High-speed internet is a necessity for almost every American, connecting people to educational opportunities, telemedicine, and of course, opportunities for work and entrepreneurship,” the letter stated. “Living in the 21st century means having quality high-speed internet, and the Affordable Connectivity Program helps ensure this for millions of American families.”
Efforts to renew funding for the program include a push to approve The Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024, which has been sponsored in the House of Representatives by members of Congress from both parties, like Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).
Nearly 23 million households nationwide rely on the program, which provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands, according to the FCC.
Households are eligible for the ACP if their income is at or below 200 percent of poverty guidelines set by the government.
If The Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024 is passed, it would provide an additional $7 billion to fund the program, according to a release from Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT), who is co-sponsoring the legislation in the U.S. Senate.
The proposed legislation quickly gathered immediate support from industry leaders, like Tom Ferree, the chairman and CEO of Connected Nation.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, in a letter delivered to several senators and members of Congress, dated Jan. 8, said current funding for the ACP, created as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, will run out by April of this year.
In October, President Joseph Biden (D) sent a supplemental funding request to extend funding for the ACP to the Republican controlled House of Representatives but funds have yet to be renewed for the program.
