Thousands could lose free Internet as program ends

By ReShonda Tate

A program designed to alleviate the financial burden of the Internet for American families nationwide could be coming to an end and thousands could find themselves without Internet. And many believe the move will further the digital divide in Black and Brown households.

The Biden-Harris Administration launched the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) under the Investing in America agenda earlier this year. This initiative, facilitated by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, stands as the largest Internet affordability program in U.S. history. It’s estimated to benefit 23 million households by reducing their monthly internet bills by $30-75.

In Texas alone, over 1,709,233 households have already benefited from the program. The state has received a total funding of $877,514,220, leading to approximately $50 million in monthly savings for families. However, without Congressional action, the program faces termination in the spring, potentially leaving millions of Americans unable to afford high-speed internet service.

Data shows the need for ACP, which has been in operation for over two years, is even greater than when legislators originally enacted the program as part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. As Congress then recognized, “a broadband connection and digital literacy are increasingly critical to how individuals participate in the society, economy, and civic institutions of the United States; and access health care and essential services, obtain education, and build careers.”

A recent study showed that 65% of ACP participants fear that losing broadband would result in losing their job or their household’s primary source of income; 75% fear losing access to health care; and 81% of ACP parents worry about their children falling behind in school. A recent economics working paper estimated that for every dollar spent on the ACP, the nation’s GDP increases by $3.89—nearly twice the multiplier of the far larger Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which builds new digital infrastructure in unserved locations.

To secure funding for the continuation of the Affordable Connectivity Program, the Biden-Harris Administration submitted a supplemental request of $6 billion to Congress on October 25, 2023. As of March, Congress has yet to extend funding for the program, which is scheduled to conclude in April.

Even though enough House Democrats and Republicans together favor an ACP extension, the current Republican House leadership is following the “Hastert Rule,” by which the Republican Speaker will not allow legislation to be voted on unless a majority of Republicans will vote for it.