Tell Congress to Renew the Affordable Connectivity Program Says National Non-Profit.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Twenty-three million American households, including 25,000 in Alaska, rely on the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to get internet service and stay online. Unless Congress acts soon, the monthly broadband benefit will end, with devastating consequences for under-resourced households.

The ACP is a $14.2 billion federal broadband benefit funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that provides eligible households with a monthly discount of up to $30 per month (up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands) and a one-time $100 discount toward a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet. Nationwide, 51.6 million households, including 17.7 million unconnected households, are eligible for the ACP, making it a critical tool for closing America’s stubborn digital divide, two-thirds of which is due to affordability.

In Alaska, more than 96,000 households are eligible for the ACP and 25,000 households (26%) have enrolled. Among these households that would be impacted are an estimated:

• 2,000 veteran households,

• 4,000 senior households, and

• 5,000 households with income below the federal poverty line.

If Congress does not pass The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Extension Act of 2024, enrolled households will see a significant spike in their internet bill and potentially lose service entirely. Without home internet, struggling Americans cannot access online education, healthcare, the social safety net, critical government services, and the digital economy. Access to home internet increases the annual income of an under-resourced American household by $2,200.

The Affordable Connectivity Program is a bipartisan success story. Forty-four percent of enrollees live in Republican congressional districts, and 55% in Democratic congressional districts. Majorities in both parties support the ACP: 64% of Republicans and 95% of Democrats.

Alaska residents can call on Senator Murkowski to take action to support The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Extension Act of 2024 by visiting DontDisconnectUS.org.

EducationSuperHighway is a national nonprofit with the mission to close the digital divide for the 17 million households that have access to the internet but can’t afford to connect. We focus on America’s most unconnected communities, where more than 25% of people don’t have internet. 

www.educationsuperhighway.org 

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