Rep. Angie Craig Leads Bipartisan Push to Strengthen Access to High-Speed Internet in Rural Minnesota

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Angie Craig is leading 25 Republicans and Democrats in pushing Congressional leadership and President Biden to extend funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program.

The Affordable Connectivity Program has provided 21 million Americans with internet access since its creation.

Right now, the Affordable Connectivity Program is set to run out of funding in 2024. In their letter, the Members pushed to extend the program and ensure Americans can continue to access the high-speed internet they need to succeed in the 21st century. 

“The Affordable Connectivity Program has provided financial assistance for critical broadband access to nearly 21 million Americans. This program has great success in providing rural, urban and suburban families, Pell Grant recipients and veterans across the country affordable high-speed broadband,” wrote the Members.

“I urge you to support funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program as we explore new funding mechanisms to remove this program from the traditional appropriations process. We cannot risk our most vulnerable constituents losing access to the internet services they so depend,” the Members continued.

Rep. Craig serves as a co-chair of the Bipartisan Rural Broadband Caucus and has introduced several pieces of legislation to increase access to high-speed internet in rural communities.

A full copy of the letter can be found here and copied below.

Dear President Biden, Speaker McCarthy, Leader Schumer, Leader Jeffries, and Leader McConnell:

As members of the Rural Broadband Caucus, we write to urge you to extend funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).

High-speed broadband has the potential to revolutionize the way rural populations live their lives. Many families, students and businesses in rural areas struggle to gain access to key services such as telemedicine, distance-learning, online banking and grant applications that help small businesses compete in the twenty-first century.

The Affordable Connectivity Program has provided financial assistance for critical broadband access to nearly 21 million Americans. This program has great success in providing rural, urban and suburban families, Pell Grant recipients and veterans across the country affordable high-speed broadband. The ACP provides eligible households with up to $30 per month towards their internet bills, and provides households in some rural, insular and tribal areas with up to $75 per month towards their internet bills. In addition, the program provides a one-time subsidy of $100 towards desktops, laptops or tablet computers for children and families.

At current funding projections, the ACP will be depleted in early 2024, putting those millions of Americans who rely on the program at risk of losing broadband access. The ACP is a valuable tool in connecting every American to high-speed, affordable broadband, and is in urgent need of additional funding. The continuation of the ACP will improve the economic case for deployment and reaffirm our continued commitment to provide broadband service to millions of unserved and undersold households.

We urge you to support funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program as we explore new funding mechanisms to remove this program from the traditional appropriations process. We cannot risk our most vulnerable constituents losing access to the internet services they so depend.

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