Governor Mills Joins Bipartisan Coalition of Governors to Urge Congress to Fund Affordable Connectivity Program
Letter
Dear Speaker Johnson, Minority Leader Jeffries, Majority Leader Schumer, and Minority Leader McConnell:
As Governors from across the country, we urge you to work collaboratively with the Biden Administration to ensure that a key tool in our joint efforts to bridge the digital divide--the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)--receives additional funding. It is essential that people do not lose access to the internet that this vital program has allowed them to gain.
There is broad agreement across the political spectrum that affordable high-speed internet is a necessity in today's world, whether it's for education, work or health care.
This is why we urge you to fund this critical program that makes internet access more affordable.
The ACP could run out of funding as early as April 2024. Without bipartisan collaboration between Congress and the White House to continue the ACP, nearly 20 million households enrolled nationally could lose connectivity as well as all the essential services that come with it.
The ACP is a critical complement to our collective efforts to expand access to broadband infrastructure in rural, unserved communities across the country. With $42.5 billion in Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) funding going to the states, we want to maximize this once-in-a-generation opportunity. The ACP plays a valuable role in helping households afford broadband and encouraging internet providers to build out rural broadband infrastructure. Recent analysis indicates that the ACP reduces the subsidy needed to incentivize providers to build in rural regions by 25% per household, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used to their maximum potential.
Closing our nation's digital divide transcends politics. Whether you live in a rural area, a suburb, or a city, every American needs access to high-speed internet. Preserving the ACP will allow us to build upon the progress we've made in expanding connectivity rather than falling behind in a mission we cannot afford to lose.
We stand ready to work with you and the White House to find a commonsense solution to funding the ACP. We urge you to ensure this crucial program continues.
Sincerely,
Source