The Affordable Connectivity Program Has a Lifeline in the Senate

There’s a new plan to revive the Affordable Connectivity Program, a pandemic-era initiative that provides low-income households in the US with discounts on high-speed internet access. A bipartisan group of senators, led by Sen Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) have proposed using a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization measure as a vehicle for funding the ACP and other telecom programs for a combined $6 billion. The coalition includes Sens J.D. Vance (R-OH), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Roger Wicker (R-MS). The measure also includes a provision for the Federal Communication Commission’s “rip and replace program,” which refunds US telecom providers for removing equipment from Chinese manufacturers including Huawei and ZTE from their networks and replacing it with less-risky tech. In early May, the FCC asked Congress for around $2 billion to help bolster the program, which has faced a shortfall.