With a federal subsidy for high-speed internet expected to run out of funding in April, Biden administration officials are calling on Congress to extend the Affordable Connectivity Program through next year.

Created through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the ACP was established more than two years ago and currently provides up to $30 off monthly internet service for eligible customers, and up to $75 off for households on tribal lands.  

What You Need To Know

  • The federal Affordable Connectivity Program is expected to run out of money in April

  • The two-year-old program provides up to $30 off monthly internet service for eligible customers, and up to $75 for households on tribal lands

  • About 23 million Americans use the ACP

  • The Federal Communications Commission sent a letter to Congress last week saying it will stop accepting new ACP enrollments February 8

“Internet is like water,” Tom Perez, Senior Advisor to President Joe Biden and Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, said during a briefing about the program Monday. “It’s an essential public necessity that should be affordable and accessible to everyone.”

The median price for internet service in the United States is about $75 per month, according to Consumer Reports, putting it out of reach for many low-income communities. Administered by the Federal Communications Commission, the ACP is currently used by about 23 million households, making it larger than the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Half of those receiving the ACP benefit are military families, 4 million are seniors, 3 million are families with school-age children eligible for free or reduced-price lunches, 1 million are low-income college students and 320,000 are households on tribal lands.

Last week, FCC Jessica Rosenworcel sent a letter to Congress to formally inform lawmakers the ACP will stop accepting new enrollments on February 8 in accordance with pre-established wind-down procedures for the program. As part of that wind down, internet providers that voluntarily participate in the ACP are required to inform their customers the benefit will be going away.

FCC Spokesperson Paloma Perez said there have been multiple efforts to extend funding for the program, both through a supplemental request proposed by the White House as well as Congressional legislation.

The Biden administration has made high-speed internet access a cornerstone of its Investing in America agenda. Last year, the president said the federal government planned to distribute more than $42 billion to deliver broadband across the country as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program.