Millions of Americans could soon lose home internet access unless lawmakers act quickly to reverse course.
Each week, Cynthia George connects with her granddaughter and great-grandson via video calls. At 71 years old, this retiree reads news headlines on MSN homepage while searching for information to battle bugs coming through drain in Florida summer heat. Cynthia searches Publix app deals so her food stamps go further.
But the great-grandmother fears her lifeline to the outside world could soon be severed, forcing her to make a difficult choice between buying enough food or paying her home internet bill.
George is just one of millions of Americans facing an unthinkably catastrophic yet little-known financial cliff, an event policy experts warn is only avoidable through swift congressional action.
By May, more than 23 million US households could either lose access to internet plans they currently subscribe to, or face increased bills with hundreds more owed in order to stay online, according to estimates released by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Disaster could strike 1 out of every 5 households nationwide and affect nearly 60 million American, according to estimates by the Census Bureau.
Such widespread internet disruption would cripple people’s abilities to complete schoolwork, seek and find employment, see their doctor online for virtual visits or refill prescriptions online, access public services or remain connected – further widening the digital divide and leading to economic instability on an unprecedented scale.
“I must account for every penny” The crisis stems from a critical government program expected to run dry at the end of April: Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), providing discounts of up to $30 monthly internet service discounts to qualifying low-income households or up to $75 for eligible recipients on tribal lands.
Lawmakers have known about an impending deadline for months; yet Congress remains incapable of passing a $6 billion appropriation that President Joe Biden says would renew and save millions from disaster in America’s Affordable Care Plan (ACP).
Last week, congressional leaders missed what advocates claim was their last, best legislative opportunity for funding ACP: an 11th hour budget deal designed to avert government shutdown. Unfortunately, bill text released this week did not contain funding for this vital program, potentially increasing risk and leading to emergency financial distress for millions months before an important 2024 election takes place.
With time running out for ACP, the FCC has begun winding it down — stopping new enrollment and informing users their benefits will soon be suspended.
“Due to political gamesmanship, about 60 million American will face tough choices between paying for internet service or paying their food and utility bills – widening the digital divide across our nation,” stated former top FCC official Gigi Sohn. It’s disgraceful that an effective bipartisan program with support from nearly half of Congress could come crashing to an end because of politics rather than policy considerations, she concluded.
Without government aid, low-income Americans like George would likely be priced out of home internet service and the prospect of losing this essential component to modern economies has sent ACP subscribers reeling; many told CNN they feel disillusioned that Congress failed to step in when necessary to prevent losing an essential utility through inaction.
George laughed ruefully: “My grandkids tease me; they think I’m cheap! To which I reply that Grandma is thrifty; no other choice exists as accounting for every cent means taking some cost cutting measures like cutting back my food bill if necessary – there would otherwise be nowhere else I can take this money from!”
Military families, older Americans and rural residents are most at risk under this program, which was implemented quickly following Congress’ establishment of it through bipartisan infrastructure law in 2021. Polling shows it to be enormously popular with both political parties – an indication of its great success.
According to both the White House and a survey backed by Comcast, military families account for roughly 50% of ACP subscriber base.
According to another survey conducted on ACP users, more than one quarter live in rural areas; four out of ten enrolled households can be found in southern United States alone. Over sixty five percent of survey participants said that without ACP they feared losing their job; three quarters expressed concerns over online health services disappearing, and more than eighty percent believe their kids will lag in school due to losing access.
At least 20% of those participating in ACP are age 65 or above; over 10 million American’s who use the program are at least 50.
Michelle McDonough, 49, lives off Social Security disability payments while working part time as an associate degree behavioral health student in Maine. One statistics class stands between her and receiving her associate’s degree – not only does she attend classes remotely via video conferencing software but she even visits with an on-call psychiatrist via virtual visits!
McDonough anticipates similar reductions if ACP goes away; she lives within five miles of a library offering internet access; however, having to travel out of her way would cost both time and money she doesn’t have – especially as her car is currently dying while libraries rarely open during snowy weather conditions.
McDonough pointed out that should politicians permit the ACP to disintegrate, it will demonstrate their disconnection with voters and will serve as an indictment on them as elected officials.
“My goal is to be productive member of society despite what people on low income think,” McDonough stated. “One program which assists me is being threatened with being taken away; however there could certainly be other areas they could take money from instead.”
How the ACP Works to Connect American Communities
Congress authorized ACP with $14 billion of initial funding in 2021 and this money has since spread throughout almost every congressional district in America – serving as one of the biggest internet affordability programs ever seen here, according to government. Furthermore, ACP works in tandem with billions in new infrastructure spending projects which is why its role can not be understated
Building out high-speed internet cable infrastructure can be expensive; especially in places that traditional internet service providers consider unprofitable or difficult to reach. Unfortunately, this has left millions without service or subjected to sky-high costs just to gain basic internet plans.
Infrastructure investment is only worthwhile if Americans can access its benefits at an affordable cost; that is why ACP exists; to bridge any price differences for consumers while at the same time helping internet service providers who claim that ACP ensures there will be sufficient demand to cover potentially money-losing markets where building otherwise would prove futile.
Gary Johnson, CEO and general manager of Paul Bunyan Communications in Minnesota – which serves some of the farthest-reaching reaches – noted, “Boring under rivers to access two customers was extremely costly. To provide fiber in more rocky regions we literally used rock saws to cut pathways through boulders so our cable could pass. Dividing costs amongst so few customers is ultimately challenging.”
Recent findings by the FCC survey reveal that nearly 50% of rural respondents and 47% overall said ACP was their initial experience with having home internet.
An ACP Collapse Would Mean Extra Shifts and Grocery Cuts
Should the American Commercial Press (ACP) close its doors, some individuals, like George and McDonough, will make budgetary cuts in order to stay financially solvent and continue operations.
Kamesha Scott, 29, an Amazon package delivery driver in St Louis who also manages restaurant takeout orders told CNN she might have to take on extra shifts just so her family would stay afloat if their financial resources didn’t stretch far enough. Unfortunately this would mean less time with them all together and reduced chances of seeing your children grow up properly, she stated.
Policy experts predict that others may enact unorthodox solutions as a response to your proposal.
That may include using free Wi-Fi at fast food restaurants, school parking lots and other public areas; alternatively it could involve turning back to cellphone data service (provided plans remain affordable).
Megan Janicki, policy expert of the American Library Association reported that approximately one third of public libraries offer mobile hotspot lending to visitors, providing palm-sized devices which emit cellular signal that can temporarily replace home internet service when necessary. Yet these don’t offer complete solutions: cell signal strength may vary or users could have to wait before checking one out.
Janicki said they typically experience waitlists of at least three weeks; sometimes longer.
ACP subscribers could seek other government aid. For example, the FCC’s Lifeline program from Reagan administration grants low-income households discounts of either telephone service or internet service for monthly charges of $9.25 for domestic subscribers or $34.25 per month for tribal subscribers – far below what ACP subscribers qualify for each month.
Low-Income Americans as Political Pawns
Unfortunately, in spite of ACP’s popularity and election year politics turning low-income Americans into unwitting political pawns can only increase its prominence further.
Early this year, a bipartisan coalition of Senate and House lawmakers unveiled legislation authorizing $7 billion to save the ACP — that’s one billion more than was requested from President Biden by his administration.
Bills to fund ACP have not moved.
“House Republicans’ attempts to show they’re cutting government spending makes re-funding ACP very challenging,” wrote Blair Levin of New Street Research in January in his research note. It seems unlikely the House Republican leadership will allow such legislation onto the floor of Congress.”
But there is mounting evidence that money spent through ACP ends up saving taxpayers over time. Levin noted a recent study which estimated that every $1 spent on ACP increased US GDP by $3.89; additional studies demonstrated how telemedicine can lead to significant savings in health care.
Extension of ACP benefits could aid lawmakers from both parties as they head home for election campaigns; Biden could see particular political gains as his campaign highlights his administration’s economic record ahead of November elections.
Jonathan Blaine, a freelance software engineer in Vermont and ACP subscriber, places the blame for Biden’s political defeat on certain Republican politicians who would rather harm working-class people rather than give Biden political victory.
“While it seems as if your party cares for working-class Americans, in reality that’s exactly who’s being targeted most,” Blaine told GOP lawmakers directly. “By taking away ACP farmers can negotiate produce prices more effectively with retailers; you are taking away disabled people’s ability to fill prescriptions online – all things which affect them directly and affect those they support most directly.”
Blaine suggested that lawmakers could face severe public displeasure if the ACP collapses in November, prompting voters to express their outrage directly at them.
He found it “appalling” that lawmakers continue to strip these benefits for poorer Americans from legislation “left and right.”
“But to sit there and smile to our faces while pretending you support working class people or those less privileged is just dishonest and most of us see right through this nonsense, which explains why your seats have dwindled.”
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