Congress, Don't Drop Affordable Broadband

Benton Institute for Broadband & Society

Friday, January 10, 2025

Digital Beat

Congress, Don't Drop Affordable Broadband

Adrianne B. Furniss
         Furniss

Drew Garner
          Garner

A year ago today, Members of Congress introduced the bicameral, bipartisan Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act. The legislation would have provided $7 billion for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which helped millions of low-income Americans access high-speed internet. The House bill, introduced by Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), eventually gained 232 cosponsors, which is enough to pass. The Senate bill, introduced by Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT), gained 32 cosponsors, including Vice-President-elect J.D. Vance (R-OH), and advanced out of committee. Tragically, neither bill was brought to a vote, and so the ACP was forced to shut down June 1, 2024. This increased the price of internet service for one in six U.S. households, all among the most vulnerable in the country. 

As the 119th Congress sets its agenda, Congress should revive the ACP and ensure low-income families can get and stay connected. For too many Americans, the cost of essentials—like groceries, housing, healthcare, and, yes, internet access—is too high. The ACP was a targeted, effective program that eased the burden of monthly internet bills for veterans, people with disabilities, and families relying on food stamps and Medicaid. Broadband is still essential, and people still need help to afford it.

In 2024, hundreds of lawmakers supported the ACP, and the vast majority of them remain in Congress. In 2025, we hope they remember why the ACP earned their support:

The ACP's purpose was well-founded. The program addressed the main cause of the digital divide: internet service is too expensive for low-income households.

The ACP was evenly distributed. ACP benefits helped people across rural and urban areas and Republican and Democratic districts.

The ACP was well-targeted. The program primarily helped households who needed it most. Most of the households enrolled in ACP because they participated in other assistance programs, like Medicaid, SNAP, and Lifeline. That meant their annual incomes were generally at or below $20,000.

The ACP's impact benefits everyone, regardless of income. The program promoted investment in broadband infrastructure, benefiting everyone whether they participated in the ACP or not. 

The ACP was popular: The program was user-friendly, got people online for the first time, and was integral to America’s technological future. For all these reasons, the ACP had overwhelming support among voters, advocates, industry, state officials, and, as we noted, Members of Congress.

In 2024, Congress dropped the ball on affordable broadband. But in this new year, in this new Congress, we need to connect everyone.


Adrianne B. Furniss is the Executive Director of the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. 

Drew Garner is the Director of Policy Engagement at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society.

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people in the U.S. have access to competitive, High-Performance Broadband regardless of where they live or who they are. We believe communication policy - rooted in the values of access, equity, and diversity - has the power to deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities.


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Kevin Taglang

Kevin Taglang
Executive Editor, Communications-related Headlines
Benton Institute
for Broadband & Society
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Broadband Delivers Opportunities and Strengthens Communities


By Adrianne B. Furniss.
By Drew Garner.