AP Photo President Joe Biden speaks at an event to lower the cost of high-speed internet in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Monday, May 9, 2022. Vice President Kamala Harris (right) and Affordable Connectivity recipient Alicia Jones listen.
As the federal Affordable Connectivity program comes to an end this month, Democrats in some states are considering state-funded alternatives.
Reps. Lindsay Powell, Aerion Abney and G. Roni Green are drafting legislation to create a state program to provide households with broadband Internet service for $30 a month. Families must demonstrate financial need and have at least one child between the ages of 5 and 18.
The legislation has not yet been formally introduced in the state House of Representatives.
“Pennsylvanians need and deserve reliable internet access in their homes,” Powell, Abney and Green wrote in their co-sponsoring memo. “However, a key federal program that provides assistance, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), is expected to end in April or May of this year, and Congress will not act to extend the program. Thousands of families will face losing The Risks of Vital Links to the Modern World.”
The FCC notified users that April is the last month for funding for the program, even as the Biden administration has tried to get Congress to appropriate more money. In addition to a $30 monthly Internet bill rebate, the program also offers a one-time discount when purchasing a laptop, desktop or tablet from participating vendors if their purchase is more than $10 and less than $50. Enjoy one-time discounted pricing of up to $100. The project was initially funded with $14.2 billion through the bipartisan Infrastructure Act of 2021 passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden.
Congress has proposed a $7 billion extension, and the Biden administration on Tuesday called on Congress to support it. That’s been a call since October, and Biden’s 2025 budget request included an extension of the program.
State lawmakers said 739,333 Pennsylvania households received assistance from the federal Affordable Connectivity Program. The FCC website shows that 1,925 Warren County residents are enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program, which has cost Warren County a total of $985,083.
“Clearly, the need for such a program is evident and will only increase in the future,” Green, Abney and Powell wrote. “Because internet access is an absolute necessity for daily life, we cannot allow Pennsylvania families to go without this vital service. We hope you will join us in ensuring that all families across the Commonwealth have the basics they need to keep their families connected and thriving. facilities. ”