LWVUS Joins Letter Requesting Congress Support Broadband Internet Access

LWVUS joined a letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leadership to request additional funding for the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC's) Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP helps more than 17 million households in the US afford broadband internet, which is vital for employment, education, health care, commerce, community building, civic engagement, and government services.
 

May 10, 2023

The Honorable Patty Murray

Chair

Senate Appropriations Committee

U.S. Senate

Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Chris Van Hollen

Chair

Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government

U.S. Senate

Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Kay Granger

Chair

House Committee on Appropriations

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Steve Womack

Chair

Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government

U.S. House of Representatives

Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chair Murray, Chair Van Hollen, Chair Granger, and Chair Womack,

On behalf of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 230 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States, and the 165 undersigned civil society organizations, municipal governments, and other interested groups, we write to request robust additional funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).

Today, the ACP’s current rate of expenditure is roughly $500 million per month. Based on this and projected growth, funding for the ACP could be exhausted by Q2 of next year, if not sooner. Without adequate and sustained funding, millions of vulnerable Americans currently relying on the program would see their internet bill jump or be disconnected entirely, and Congress’ bipartisan $42 billion investment in broadband deployment will not meet the goal of universal broadband deployment and adoption.

Broadband access at home is universally recognized as a necessity. It is the essential infrastructure of the 21st century, and the signers of this letter are committed to ensuring that all communities, particularly those who are underserved, gain and continue to have access to affordable, reliable, and high-quality advanced communications services. Lack of high-speed internet access among low-income people, communities of color, and other underserved communities is of particular concern, and the ACP has proven critical in getting households in these communities online.

The last three years demonstrate that broadband internet service is indispensable for employment, education, health care, commerce, community building, civic engagement, and government services. The high cost of service, however, prevents access for countless households across the United States.

Thanks to Congress’ action, the ACP now helps more than 17 million households in America afford broadband internet, with enrollment continuing to increase steadily. These households collectively save more than $500 million per month on internet expenses, while the program drives economic growth, higher incomes, and lower unemployment. The ACP is currently improving telehealth access for more than 3 million low-income seniors and 400,000 veterans, expanding access to education for more than 3 million students, and providing more economic opportunities to more than 1 million federal housing residents. Broadband strengthens communities by creating immediate and long-lasting economic benefits and provides economic improvements for everyone — from rural areas that then become more attractive to businesses and workers, to cities facing aging and inadequate broadband infrastructure. For example, one study demonstrated the employment effects of subsidized broadband resulted in just over $2,200 of benefits per household through increased labor force participation.

Failure to extend the ACP with new funding could result in the biggest loss of internet connectivity ever. Without action from Congress this year, millions of households could immediately lose service. In addition, the loss of ACP would reduce the efficacy of Congress’ groundbreaking $42 billion investment in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. A recent study concluded that the ACP reduces the size of the subsidy needed to incentivize broadband deployment in rural areas by 25 percent. ACP makes BEAD program dollars go farther. Sustained funding is critical as broadband companies and others consider the level of public and private investment needed to fulfill Congress’ goal of universal affordable broadband deployment and adoption.

Thank you for the work you have done already to make high-speed internet affordable and accessible across the country and for your attention to the critical concerns we have raised here. If you have any questions about the issues raised in this letter, please feel free to contact Anita Banerji, senior director of the media/tech program, at [email protected], or Jonathan Walter, media/tech policy counsel, at [email protected].

Sincerely,

See Attached Letter for Signatories