The Affordable Connectivity Program: Additional Funding from Congress is Needed Before Year End 2023

There is a rising tide of support for Congress to provide permanent funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) — a program that currently ensures that over 19.5 million low-income families can purchase broadband service, which is critical for accessing job, education, and health information and is an absolute necessity to participate in today’s economy and society. The ACP is expected to exhaust its funding in the first half of 2024, and without action before the end of 2023, we can expect that the Federal Communications Commission and the program’s stakeholders will begin the process of winding down the program. Recognizing that families will likely disconnect their service, or face unaffordable price increases, a significant number of policy leaders and other stakeholders are urging Congress to act to shore up the program. ACP subscribers and the broadband providers that serve them need certainty, and they need it fast. As the FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel discussed, the agency and the providers will need to begin making plans for winding down the program in the coming months in order to provide adequate notice to subscribers of upcoming changes. All of this can be avoided with clear and precise action from Congress to renew ACP funding. Congress should take this opportunity to listen to the tremendous support from all stakeholders including industry, trade groups, public interest organizations, and the federal and state governments that are all calling on Congress to refund this vital program. Refunding the ACP must be a top priority of Congress when it returns from August 2023 recess.