WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) released the following statement calling for immediate bipartisan action to fund the Affordable Connectivity Program as full funding expires at midnight:
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“I was sent to Washington to bring down the high costs that are holding too many working families back. The Affordable Connectivity Program has been doing just that, and today Republicans have left our most vulnerable Americans out to dry,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. “In today's world, internet access is not a luxury but a necessity. The Affordable Connectivity Program is a critical tool in our efforts to ensure that families with lower incomes can access essential services for work, education, health care, and more. Since its inception, over 17 million households nationwide have benefited from the ACP. In my district alone, more than 75,000 households have enrolled in the program, saving them nearly $40 million each year. But this successful program is set to run out of full funding at midnight tonight. My office has been flooded with concerns from over 9,000 constituents who rely on the ACP – families that could face disruptions to their internet service if House Republican leaders fail to act. I continue to call on GOP leadership to step up to preserve this lifeline for families in my district and across the nation.”
The American Rescue Plan created the Emergency Broadband Benefit, which provides discounted or free broadband for low-income households. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law expanded the program into the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides a discount of up to $30 a month for qualifying low-income households. The ACP currently empowers 23 million households across the country to access affordable broadband. Without additional funding from Congress, the ACP will run out of funding, and millions of households could lose crucial internet access.
