Emily Drabinski: Will Congress Keep Its Broadband Promise?

Prince George’s County Memorial Library System received a $500,000 Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant from the Federal Communications Commission in March 2023 to find and connect those living in eligible households with the $30 monthly discount available to home broadband. Libraries in New Jersey, Nashville, and New York City likewise received the outreach grant. After months of hiring, developing their outreach program, and identifying eligible individuals, outreach grantees are hitting their stride. But instead of continuing that momentum into the new year, PGCMLS and other outreach grant recipients are being asked, “Why enroll in a program that may only last a few more months?” The problem, of course, is that funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) itself will run out in a matter of months – May at the latest. Congress knows this. The media know this. The entities receiving Outreach Grant funding know this. And the people who could benefit from the ACP know this. If Congress lets this program expire, it’s deliberately deciding to imperil the best shot we have at closing the digital divide and truly connecting everyone to broadband. Now is the time for Congress to demonstrate a commitment to equal access and extend funding for the ACP. Let’s keep Americans connected to digital and economic opportunity.

[Emily Drabinski is the President of the American Library Association]