Roughly one in seven Americans have come to rely on the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) since it was created almost exactly two years ago by the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law (IIJA). Among them are millions of children and families for whom the ACP means stronger digital skills, improved grades, higher annual incomes, and better access to the essential services and innovative tools that are increasingly (and often exclusively) available online. The ACP has already become the most effective tool ever when it comes to closing the digital divide, one of our top priorities at Common Sense Media. Unfortunately, as successful as the ACP is, the program may soon come to an end.

As of November 1, 2023, the ACP had roughly $4.7 billion in remaining funds (official sources may show a different number because the underlying data is delayed). If the current rate of program uptake continues, April 2024 will be the last full month of funding for the ACP. Ending or limiting the ACP would be a terrible loss for vulnerable households that are just now getting to see the benefits of fast internet at home, which so many of us take for granted.

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Read full article here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/kids-action/articles/what-congress-needs-to-know-about-acp-funding

To avoid this problem, the White House recently asked Congress for an additional $6 billion for the ACP. This funding would:

• Extend the ACP, allowing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to continue meeting its commitments to enrollees and providers
• Give Congress and the FCC time to find a permanent source of funding for affordable connectivity in lower-income households.

The White House's request is vital, but it also raises a key question: How long would the $6 billion for ACP last?

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