Rep. Angie Craig Leads Push to Expand Access to High-Speed Internet Across Minnesota
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Angie Craig is leading a push to renew funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to help expand access to high-speed internet across Minnesota and close the digital divide.
Rep. Craig helped establish the ACP through the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021. Since its creation, the ACP has provided 21 million Americans with internet access – but is set to run out of funding in 2024.
In her letter, Rep. Craig led 69 of her colleagues in urging congressional leadership to provide more funding to allow more Americans to access the high-speed internet they need to succeed in the 21st century.
“Failure to renew funding for the ACP would once again make low-cost broadband internet service unaffordable for millions of families, resulting in a significant loss of internet connectivity nationwide,” wrote the Members.
“As you work to finalize a government funding package, we urge you to include robust funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program to sustain the program through December of 2024. This funding will keep Americans connected as Congress continues to work to develop a permanent funding pathway for this critical broadband program,” they continued.
Rep. Craig serves as a co-chair of the Bipartisan Rural Broadband Caucus and has led the push in Congress to increase access to high-speed internet in rural communities.
A full copy of the letter can be found here and copied below.
October 30, 2023
The Honorable Charles E. Schumer
Majority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Mike Johnson
Speaker of the House
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Minority Leader
United States Senate
Washington. DC 20510
The Honorable Hakeem Jeffries
Minority Leader
United States House of Representatives
Dear Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell, Speaker Johnson and Minority Leader Jeffries,
As members of the New Democrat Coalition, we write to advocate for the inclusion of $6 billion in additional funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) in any government funding package, to reflect the President’s Fiscal Year 2024 emergency supplemental funding request. The ACP provides critical financial assistance to help American households afford broadband internet services. Access to high-speed and affordable broadband is vital to participating in our 21st-century economy. Communities without sufficient internet connectivity struggle to keep pace in a rapidly changing world increasingly dependent on technology. The New Democrat Coalition is committed to closing this digital divide and the ACP is a necessary tool to accomplish this goal.
Established in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the ACP currently provides broadband subsidies to more than 21 million households throughout the country. The program has had great success as millions of families who previously could not get online or struggled to pay for broadband access are now connected to the internet. By helping to secure broadband access, the ACP has allowed millions of Americans to maximize educational opportunities, increase telehealth opportunities, stimulate economic growth, and connect with loved ones.
At the current rate of enrollment, the ACP’s funding will be exhausted as imminently as early next year. Failure to renew funding for the ACP would once again make low-cost broadband internet service unaffordable for millions of families, resulting in a significant loss of internet connectivity nationwide. This would be a significant step backwards in the progress Congress has made to connect more Americans to the internet through additional federal broadband investments.
The loss of the ACP would also reduce the efficacy of Congress’ groundbreaking $42 billion investment in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. A recent study found that the ACP reduces the subsidy amount needed to incentivize broadband deployment in rural areas by 25 percent per-household. The ACP is necessary to maximize BEAD program dollars intended to build out our nation’s broadband infrastructure and ensure that no community gets left behind.
Congress has recognized, on a bipartisan basis, that every American must be connected to the internet to prosper and compete in a 21st-century economy. We cannot risk millions of families losing access to the internet service they depend on every day by allowing the ACP to lapse. We stand with the Biden Administration in recognizing the ACP as a critical service for American families and a priority for our country. As you work to finalize a government funding package, we urge you to include robust funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program to sustain the program through December of 2024. This funding will keep Americans connected as Congress continues to work to develop a permanent funding pathway for this critical broadband program.
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