Commissioner Gomez's ACP Remarks at State of the Net

Considering this is the 20th anniversary of State of the Net, I think it’s worth noting one constant: we have had a digital divide that separates the connected haves from the connected have-nots in our country.  Another constant going back decades is a shared recognition that, unless and until we bridge that divide, we will not fulfill the promise of the Internet age for our economy and our society.  In 2024, that digital divide persists. But let me tell you what’s changed.  Like never before, closing America’s digital divide is within our reach.  And that’s not by accident.  It’s because the [Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act] included historic investments to ensure that everyone, everywhere has access to affordable, reliable connectivity.  That included the creation of the Affordable Connectivity Program—the largest broadband affordability effort in our nation’s history. The ACP is the most successful tool we’ve ever had to closing the digital divide, because it finally addresses the long-overlooked yet critical affordability piece of the puzzle.  The enrollment numbers for the program have been staggering and prove definitively that too many Americans have been missing out on the opportunities of the Internet Age because they couldn’t afford a home broadband connection.  We now have over 23 million households enrolled in ACP nationwide.  Think about that.  That means the ACP is impacting one in six U.S. households.  Of that 23 million, over 5 million had never been connected before.  Many more had what can only be described as precarious connectivity—connectivity that could be easily lost if the family had to make hard choices on tight budgets in any given month. But if the ACP does not receive funding, the program will run out of money in April.  Just like that, millions will lose access to the connectivity on which they rely for education, health care, their job, and more.