BOSTON — An Internet access program that provides low-cost connectivity to 23 million U.S. households will run out of money by the end of April unless Congress acts in the coming weeks.
The Affordable Connectivity program, launched in 2021, offers low-income recipients $30 to $75 off their monthly internet bills. In turn, many internet providers across the country offer recipients deeper discounts, resulting in many households receiving completely free service.
According to the White House, one in six households relies on the program to stay connected, including more than 367,000 households in Massachusetts and 38,000 households in New Hampshire.
“Nearly half of these families are military families, and about a quarter of them are seniors,” said Jon Donenberg, deputy director of the National Economic Council. “Affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet is truly a critical component of 21st century life. It’s a requirement for Americans to participate effectively in school, get work done, have regular access to health care, especially in rural areas, and stay connected with loved ones.”
Adrienne McClintock is one of millions of people who rely on affordable connectivity plans to stay connected. The Illinois resident and her fiancé have received free high-speed internet since qualifying for the program more than two years ago.
“I’ve applied for food stamps, I’ve applied for disability,” she said. “He can apply for jobs, he can get calls about jobs.”
McClintock also described how having internet access in the home could lead to better health care. Instead of taking her laptop to the library and requesting a private room for a telemedicine appointment, she can meet with her doctor virtually from home.
She received a letter earlier this year explaining that the program was ending. Since then, she has been preparing to be cut off from friends, health care providers and loved ones again.
“Having to go back to the same behaviors that I had when I was homeless was emotionally devastating.”
The Affordable Connectivity program stopped accepting new recipients in February as funding set aside by the federal government began to dry up. But efforts to save the program began months earlier.
In October, the Biden administration requested $6 billion from Congress, seeking funding by the end of 2024. In January, Democrats and Republicans co-sponsored the Affordable Connectivity Extension Act in the House and Senate. Now, weeks before funding expires, neither chamber has voted on it.
Beneficiaries will continue to receive the full discount in April, with a smaller benefit in May (between $14 and $35). In June, many of the 23 million U.S. households that rely on the program are expected to lose internet service.
This is a development story. Please check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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