Last month, 23 million American households had a difficult choice to make. Do they keep their internet access, or do they forgo having this utility because of rising costs?
This is because the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), the signature broadband access initiative from the Biden administration, has run out of money. Passed under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, qualifying low-income households received a monthly $30 to $75 subsidy to cover internet service.
Unless Congress acts and appropriates more funding, millions are losing their connection to work, education and other essential daily functions. This includes more than 2.9 million California households who have benefited from the ACP.
Closing the digital divide has long plagued policymakers who have strived to connect more Americans to this vital service. Despite a record number of Californians having access to the internet, for example, approximately 6% of Black, Latino and low-income households continue to lack internet.
With the ACP now expired, families across the nation will undoubtedly sacrifice internet service due to a significant bump in their monthly household expenses. Over 75% of ACP users reported that losing this benefit would either motivate them to change internet plans or drop service entirely.
According to a survey by the Benson Strategy Group, the people who stand to lose the most from this lapsed benefit are military families, seniors and those who live in rural communities.
This should concern us all because losing internet access is not merely a problem for any specific individual, household or demographic group. It will have ripple effects across our nation that all of us must appreciate and acknowledge.
In an analysis by the Chamber of Progress, the expiration of the ACP will have a significant impact on our economy. When more employment opportunities have become reliant on having access to the internet, losing this benefit will disrupt work opportunities or prevent access to them altogether. The potential for lost wages, as a result, stands at $10 billion annually.
In our health system, internet service has become the key in scheduling appointments, refilling prescriptions and seeking preventative care. Programs such as the ACP have facilitated greater access to health, resulting in an annual $300 in savings for individuals using telehealth services. Without continued internet access, we place our country’s health at risk.
Fortunately, there are tangible solutions on the table to address this problem. U.S. Sens. Alex Padilla and LaPhonza Butler recently co-sponsored the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act that would provide an additional $7 billion to keep the program running.
They join a long list of California congressional leaders, both Republican and Democrat, who understand that internet service is hardly a luxury but a fundamental right government must protect.
President Biden has repeatedly called on Congress to act, and the response must not delay.
Recently, the Latino Community Foundation released a multi-state poll of Latino voters in Arizona, California and Nevada, three states vital in deciding our next president and determining the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives. When asked about the key issues facing the community, the cost of living rose to the top.
In an era where the high costs of goods continue to hold a firm grip on a family’s budget, a small internet subsidy may seem trivial, but it is the difference for millions who must make hard choices daily between food, childcare, housing and health expenses.
For the U.S. Congress, that choice is and must be easier. Extend the Affordable Connectivity Program and keep America connected.
Christian Arana is the vice president of civic power and policy at the Latino Community Foundation in San Francisco.