On March 21, Public Knowledge joined 24 other public interest and consumer advocacy groups in a letter to congressional leaders about the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The groups urged Congress to renew the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) spectrum auction authority and use some of the projected revenue to help fund the ACP. "Congress has a unique opportunity to advance our national spectrum goals while simultaneously generating sufficient revenue to support the connectivity needs of millions of Americans," said the letter. "We urge you to take swift action to protect these gains in connectivity by passing legislation to renew the FCC’s auction authority and fund the ACP." The groups also highlighted the financial benefits of the ACP, adding "Due to the interconnected nature of the internet, the ACP offers a host of direct and indirect social and economic benefits. Research analysis from the Benton Institute has shown that for every dollar of ACP subsidy, there are nearly two dollars in financial returns to those using the program, including gains in professional productivity and opportunities as well as time saved from access to online commerce."

Every once in a while, a bipartisan group of lawmakers comes together to support a popular policy that fulfills the interests of industry leaders and everyday Americans alike. These instances are supposed to be the slam dunks of legislating, a time for lawmakers to prove they are interested in governing to the advantage of their constituents. It’s all easier said than done. So it goes with the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act, bipartisan and bicameral legislation to fund a program that aims to provide 23 million households with affordable internet access. Unless the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) receives an additional $7 billion in funding from Congress, April 2024 will be the final full month that households will receive the benefit. In early February, the program stopped accepting new enrollment. As a supplemental funding request, the ACP Extension Act was designed to be attached to a larger legislative vehicle. Congress is now considering the second tranche of bills to fund the government for the current fiscal year. It’s unlikely that the bill will be tacked onto this spending minibus, and it’s unclear when another opportunity to approve the additional funding for the ACP might arise. So the Federal Communications Commission, telecommunications companies, and low-income Americans alike are bracing for the end of the program.

On March 21, Federal Communications Commissioner Geoffrey Starks delivered remarks at the US Tech for Climate Action Conference. Starks spoke about his perspective on climate action in his role as a Commissioner of the FCC. "In my mind, meeting the climate challenge is about a sustained effort and a sustained dialogue, both in and out of government, to reduce our emissions and secure opportunities in a clean energy economy," said Starks. Commissioner Starks concluded with two suggestions for the communications and technology industry. "First, as we focus on enabling others to reduce emissions, we should also find ways to reduce our carbon footprint ourselves," he said. "Second, see what you can do to make more of the future happen today. Ingenuity isn’t just about doing something no one has thought of before ... So invest, incubate, partner, and scale."

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel shared with her colleagues a proposal that would improve how wireless calls to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988 Lifeline) are routed to ensure that callers in crisis have access to behavioral health resources in the state or territory they are calling from while protecting their privacy. Calls to the 988 Lifeline are currently routed based on the caller’s area code and exchange, which presents some obstacles to callers whose area code does not correspond the caller’s location when in crisis. For instance, under current practices if a wireless caller with a 703 Virginia area code dials the 988 Lifeline, that call will be routed to a Virginia crisis center, regardless of where the caller is located. Under the FCC’s proposal, if that caller dials the 988 Lifeline while located in California, that call would be routed to a local crisis center in California, near the caller’s physical location.