WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) recognized the impact of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to help make internet more affordable and available to his constituents in Western Pennsylvania. The program is set to end by May 2024 unless Congress replenishes the appropriate funding.
“From programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program to fighting corporate rip-off junk fees, I’m fighting in Congress to lower costs for the American people,” said Rep. Deluzio. “Since the Affordable Connectivity Program began, it has helped more than 29,800 of my constituents save up to $30 a month on their internet bills. However, the program will soon run out of funding unless Congress acts. I call on congressional leadership to pass the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act and invest to make internet affordable for all Americans—no matter where they live or how much money they make.”
“Over the past three years, more than 8,800 low-income households in Beaver County have subscribed to a federal government program (ACP) that helps them pay for reliable home internet access,” said Lance Grable, Director of the Beaver County Office of Planning and Redevelopment. “Thanks to ACP-funded connectivity, these households can go to school online when needed, can access vital information about their health care and jobs, and get assistance with food and heating bills. The internet connects them to essential government services and to information about what’s going on in our County.”
According to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 1 in 5 U.S. households are not connected to the internet. Moreover, 44% of households earning less than $30,000 each year do not have broadband, according to the White House. As of February 2024, 29,826 households in Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program, and the district received a total of $14,976,583 from the program.
The American Rescue Plan initially created the Emergency Broadband Benefit, which expanded into the Affordable Connectivity Program under President Biden’s bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and offered discounted or free internet broadband to low-income households. Without additional funding, April 2024 will be the last fully funded month for the ACP discount and the Federal Communications Commission has stopped accepting new ACP applications and enrollments. Households that were approved and enrolled with an internet provider will continue to receive their ACP discounts during the wind-down period until the ACP ends.
Congressman Deluzio is a cosponsor of the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024 that would fund the ACP with $7 billion and continue the payments for eligible households. The legislation is supported by both Democrats and Republicans, led by Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) and Yvette Clarke (D-NY-06) in the House and by U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), JD Vance (R-OH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) in the Senate.