New Democrat Coalition Leadership Members Call to Extend the Affordable Connectivity Program
Last year, more than 70 New Dems called on Congressional leadership to pass additional funding to maintain this vital program
New Democrat Coalition Chair Annie Kuster (NH-02) and NDC Leadership Member Marc Veasey (TX-33) released a statement on the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which will stop accepting new applications and enrollments today in order to maintain the integrity of the program. Without congressional action, this game-changing initiative will cease entirely in April 2024.
“In the nearly three years since New Dems championed the establishment of the Affordable Connectivity Program in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the initiative has provided critical subsidies that enable millions of Americans to access affordable broadband and participate in the 21st-century economy.
“Despite its incredible impact on the 23 million households that have enrolled across the country, House Republicans have turned their back on the ACP. For months they have blocked any consideration of the funding it needs to keep running, pushing us towards the program’s extinction.
“The stakes are clear: unless House Republicans join Democrats at the table, the ACP will expire as early as April. More than three-quarters of ACP-enrolled households could either experience a disruption or lose access to the internet entirely. We can’t let this happen.
“As champions of this critical program, New Dems have remained steadfast in our commitment to funding the ACP. Today, as the program stops accepting new applications, we are reaffirming our call to House Republicans to deliver for the American people and provide the ACP with the funding it needs without delay.
“For the sake of millions of households across the country, New Dems will continue our work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to get this done.”
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