Playing Politics with the Poor: The Affordable Connectivity Program

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel informed Congress that without an additional $6 billion in funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), the program will run out of funds by mid-2024. The program, created with over $14 billion, is less than 2 years old. Another $6 billion will keep the program going only until the end of 2024, and then they will go through this same sky-is-falling exercise all over again. At current levels, the ACP has grown larger than all other FCC Universal Service Fund (USF) programs combined. The USF programs are decades old and ensure all Americans, regardless of where they live or their level of income, have access to telecommunications and information services. They include funding for rural areas, schools, libraries, rural healthcare facilities, as well as funding for the hearing-impaired. Here's a practical solution to this issue: Replace ACP with a new Lifeline program that increases eligibility to 150% of the federal poverty line, increases the Lifeline subsidy from $9.25 per month to $30 per month for those at or below the poverty line and $20 per month for those at or below 150% of the poverty line, and restricts eligibility to residential fixed broadband and eliminates subsidies for mobile services. These changes would direct funding to those who need it most for the services most in need of support.