Time’s almost up for Congress to extend funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Without the funding, 23+ million households risk losing internet access. This federally funded program has made a huge difference in people’s lives, but its future remains uncertain.
As many of you prepare for what’s next, we’re making one last push to remind Congress of what’s at stake. Here is a small selection of the hundreds of opinion pieces that have been written demonstrating the positive impact ACP has had on so many lives across the country. They also reflect the broad and bipartisan support ACP has across the board. And many feature the great work NDIA’s community and affiliates have done to support your community members learn about the program, enroll in it, and now transitioning from the program.
For a full list of the press and blogs about the need to fund ACP visit New America’s Open Technology Institute website for more. If you see an article from this list highlighting an ACP beneficiary in your community or state, we encourage you to share it with your elected officials, reminding them of the impact, and wide-spread support for the program. See our ACP advocacy resources, this toolkit from HTTP, infographics for a ‘week of action’ this week, or this toolkit from Free Press for ideas, messaging, and ways to share this information with your Members of Congress.
EDITORIALS
Forbes: Save The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)
By Steve Forbes, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media
Too often Congress is addicted to the drama of the last-minute deal. No matter how easy the decision before them, our national legislators like to wait until it’s almost too late before they do their jobs. The current issue perched on the edge of the congressional cliff is the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a cost-effective, bipartisan government plan that helps low-income families get access to the internet that they need to lead more productive and successful lives. Congress needs to ensure this program’s funding is continued before the FCC, which oversees the program, runs out of money to maintain it.
The Washington Post: If Congress doesn’t act now many Americans might lose broadband access
The Editorial Board
Despite all this, the program’s funding will lapse by the end of April because Congress has managed neither to devise a permanent solution nor to provide stopgap funding. The former would, of course, be preferable — but for the moment only the latter appears politically possible. President Biden urged congressional appropriators this fall to fund the program through the rest of the year; in response, a bipartisan group of legislators devised the $7 billion Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act. While there’s ample support in the Senate, where Sens. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) are backers, and while it could pass the House, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has refused to bring it to the floor. His hesitation makes little sense.
St. Louis Dispatch: Internet access is a necessity today. But millions could soon lose it.
The Editorial Board
The ACP addresses that gap by offering subsidies to qualified families to reduce their monthly internet bills by $30. It may not sound like a lot, but to a lower-income family with kids struggling to make ends meet, it can mean the difference between being able to, say, apply for a job online, check your kid’s school’s public message board or order grocery deliveries to avoid having to hire a babysitter — or not.
Bangor Daily News: Congress needs to continue funding for internet accessibility program
The Editorial Board
Nearly 23 million Americans, including nearly 100,000 Mainers, have gained internet access through the program. However, because Congress has not appropriated the funds needed to continue the program beyond this spring, the FCC announced earlier this month that it was beginning the process of winding down the ACP.
Texarkana Gazette: Affordable Internet: Congress should reauthorize funding for connectivity program
The Editorial Board
We know some folks might see this as just another government giveaway. We disagree. Internet access isn’t just about entertainment. It’s a way to apply for employment, work from home, pay bills, access health care and records, manage finances and so much more. Especially for those who might have transportation or mobility issues.
OPINION EDITORIALS
USA Today: Affordable Connectivity Program is a ‘lifeline’; why lawmakers must support it
By Liz Bragg, Member of WorkMoney:
Supporting the bipartisan Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act would not be about politics or being a Democrat or Republican; it would be about doing what’s right for the American people. I’d be very disappointed in our elected officials if they were to let the ACP expire.
The Washington Examiner: Congress can’t let affordable broadband slip away
By Jonathan Cannon, R Street Institute
Ultimately, the ACP is the one broadband program that features all the elements of a light-touch, successful investment that relies on market signals to ensure it is still valuable. Congress must act to address broadband affordability, and it must ensure ACP’s continuation as it works toward a permanent program.
DC Journal: Without Access to High-Speed Internet, Americans Will Be Excluded from the AI Revolution
By Lilian Coral, New America’s Vice President of Technology and Democracy Programs
AI-enabled technologies require fast internet. AI applications are data-intensive, necessitating robust and high-speed internet connections. Slow internet connections can disrupt the real-time or near-real-time performance of AI systems. If we want an equitable AI future, we need all Americans to have an opportunity to access fast internet.
The Hill: Ending affordable internet is a gut punch to US prosperity
By FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks
Closing the digital divide is about opening opportunities for all, including the millions of Americans who lack broadband because they can’t otherwise afford it. At this pivotal moment, we can’t turn back.
The Hill: Congress owes it to Americans to fund the Affordable Connectivity Program
By Claude Cummings Jr., President of the Communications Workers of America
In order to grow our nation’s economy equitably and sustainably, we must make broadband internet accessible to all Americans, no matter their zip code. Ultimately, making the internet more affordable would be a win-win for everyone – connecting millions of families to the services they need, while paying dividends in economic growth across the nation through the stability created by good-paying career-oriented jobs. It’s time we used our public dollars to fuel the public good.
Broadband Breakfast: Will Congress Keep Its Broadband Promise?
By Emily Drabinski, President of the American Library Association
“Equal access” is more than a catchy website mission statement; for library staff, it’s the day-to-day commitment to those serve ALL who live in our communities. And it’s also the commitment of 184 other organizations across the country – in red states and blue – to bring cost-effective home broadband access to everyone.
Broadband Breakfast: The ACP is Critical Aid for Low Income Older Adults
By Debra Berlyn, Executive Director of the Project to Get Older Adults onLine
It is downright shocking that millions of low-income older adults will lose their broadband connection due to uncertainty of funding.
The Daily Yonder: Broadband Subsidy Enrollment Ends Today; Millions Are at Risk of Losing Internet
By Chhaya Kapadia is chief of staff for New America’s Open Technology Institute. Chris Sadler is a former education data and privacy fellow at the institute.
A lack of reliable, affordable connectivity doesn’t need to be endemic or inevitable to the heartland or any other region of America; the digital divide is a solvable public problem. With one in every six American households set to have the cost of their internet service go up, Congress can and must renew the ACP. We have the tools to solve this 21st century challenge, if we can find the political will to make it so.
Arizona Daily Star: ACP’s equal-opportunity promise for Latinos
By Ana Valenzuela Estrada, LULAC Past National Vice President for Youth/Women
Across Arizona, the story of the Latino community is one of resilience, resourcefulness and a relentless pursuit of the American dream. We are a community of builders, of dreamers, of those who bridge divides and light the way for future generations. But in the digital age, a silent barrier threatens to impede our progress: the digital divide.
The Baltimore Banner: Congress must extend benefit to close the digital divide
By Congressman Kweisi Mfume and Cody Dorsey
Before his passing, U.S. Rep. John Lewis, an iconic voice for civil rights and human rights, called Internet access the “civil rights issue of the 21st century.” This is indeed the case. The COVID-19 pandemic shined a light on the fact that still too many Americans are without internet access in a world that requires online job applications, where telehealth appointments are an option and where our children rely on virtual-learning opportunities. The internet is a necessity for everyday life in the 21st century.
News and Record: Congress must reauthorize the Affordable Connectivity Program
By Representative Kathy Manning
Workers depend on the internet to keep up with their jobs, students need it to participate fully in their education, and patients, especially in rural communities, need it to access telehealth care. We rely on the internet to stay connected with loved ones, friends, and family.
Bismarck Tribune: Congress must protect the Affordable Connectivity Program
By Josh Boschee and Mike Brandenberg
But there’s a problem. ACP funding is set to run out in April. If Congress allows this to happen, millions of Americans who can least afford it will lose their lifeline to the internet.
Boston Business Journal: Congress must act now to ensure digital equity
By James T. Brett, President and CEO of The New England Council
In our 21st century modern society, the importance of high-speed internet for every individual and household cannot be understated. Internet access enables people to job search and to engage in remote work. It enables students of all ages to access remote learning to prepare for the jobs of the future. And it expands access to quality and affordable healthcare through telehealth. Simply put, high-speed internet access is a vital lifeline that helps Americans stay connected to one another and to critical services and resources that are key to economic success and wellbeing.
Chicago Tribune: We must close the digital divide in America
By Meka Egwueke
In our interconnected world, lack of broadband feeds the digital divide, and if you think that doesn’t affect you, well, you’re wrong. I am talking to you, the Midwestern farmer, the single mother of three in Chicago, the family-man rancher in Texas, the free-spirited woman in Vermont, the high-flying executive in New York, the hardworking immigrant in New Mexico, the coal miner in Kentucky, the snowbird in Florida, the artist in San Francisco and the homeowner in every American suburb.
Dallas Morning News: The Affordable Connectivity Program is an economic tool for Texans
By David B. Dorwart
Despite Bipartisan support, the program is phasing out and millions may lose this subsidy.
Wahpeton Daily News: Congress must protect this affordable internet program
By Rep. Josh Boschee
The ACP is a critical component of our nation’s continued economic growth, workforce development, and spirit of innovation. Allowing the ACP to end would be a great disservice to families who rely on the program to access vital online services and resources.
Desert Sun: Ending affordable internet is a mistake. Save the Affordable Connectivity Program
By Patrick Ryan, a member of WorkMoney
I want to fight for this program. It’s not just important to me, it’s important to millions of Americans across the country. It’s time for our elected leaders in D.C. to act. I’m a Democrat, but this is bigger than any one party. Republicans and Democrats need to overcome their differences and find a way to work together, to keep this program afloat.
Hartford Courant: Millions of Americans could be at risk of losing affordable internet
By Senator Richard Blumenthal
The Affordable Connectivity Program was so popular and necessary for millions of families that it may run out of funding. As Hartford resident Rosa Arroyo wrote in her opinion piece recently, these funds are a lifeline for struggling families, and yet they are at risk of disappearing if Republicans succeed in cutting them from the federal budget. Millions of Americans could be at risk of losing access to affordable internet — jeopardizing their employment, ability to pursue educational opportunities, access to health care services and so much more. We cannot and will not let that happen.
Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel: Connectivity is critically important to telemedicine and more
By Sherry Harriman
The ACP’s broadband-only subsidy helps break down the barriers to healthcare that thousands of older, rural Maine residents have faced for years. In fact, more than 95,000 Mainers have enrolled in the ACP, bridging Maine’s persistent gap in connectivity.
The San Diago Union-Tribune: The Affordable Connectivity Program helps millions of Americans. Don’t let it die.
By Walter Durham, a member of WorkMoney
I proudly served in the U.S. Navy and devoted my life to protecting our country and something I deeply believe in, the American dream. It’s a simple dream. If you work hard, you should be able to afford a good life. That’s a promise America makes to everyone who makes this great country work every single day. That program, the Affordable Connectivity Program, gives us veterans, working moms and dads, and older adults, access to affordable internet. It’s putting money back in people’s pockets when we need it the most. The program saves you $30 a month on your internet or cell phone bill.
Kansas City Star: Internet access isn’t a luxury–it’s a ‘must have.’ The Affordable Connectivity Program is crucial
By Carrie Coogan and Tom Esselman
Despite being an almost universally popular bipartisan program with supporters at every level of government, no additional funding has been allocated so far to ensure the ACP’s continuation. That means there’s a very strong likelihood that millions of people, including tens of thousands right here in Kansas City, could lose their home internet connections this year if Congress does not take immediate action.
The Oklahoman: Who will lose if Congress doesn’t approve program extension that assists with internet cost?
By Edith Foreman
As a grandmother to four children, I rely on the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to keep me connected to my family. For four years, the program has allowed me to afford my internet bill. I use the internet to talk to my daughter in Maryland, to watch movies with my grandkids.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch: A federal program has kept my family connected. Please don’t let it shut down.
By Kamesha Scott
Our politicians here in Missouri talk a lot about the economy and supporting the working class. Last time I checked, we all live in the “Show Me State.” I want to see our senators and representatives in Congress show me and the people across our state they actually support the people who make this state work every single day.
Seattle Times: Affordable Connectivity Program is more than broadband; it’s a lifeline
By Shasti Conrad, Chair of the Washington State Democrats
We cannot afford to let politics stand in the way of progress. Leaders like Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell have fought tooth and nail to bring digital equity to our state and advocate for our rural communities. Congress must put partisan differences aside and renew funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program. This is about ensuring that every Washingtonian has the tools they need to thrive in the digital age.
NC Political News: The Affordable Connectivity Program drives progress for North Carolinians and Beyond
Melani Griffith, GFiber’s Chief Growth Officer
No single effort has done as much to bring better internet to more people than the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Launched two years ago during the pandemic, ACP has helped over 22 million households in the United States get in-home internet access, creating a truly connected generation across the country.
The Virginia Pilot: Affordable internet program got me back on my feet
By Victor Acevedo
As an accountant, I believe in fiscal responsibility. I’m a registered Republican and I have worked hard my whole life. When things took a tough turn for me, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) helped lower my costs, let me stay connected with my doctors, and helped me get a job. The ACP is an investment into the American people. But Congress isn’t taking action to keep the ACP and 460,000 Virginians like me will get cut off come April.