According to the Universal Service Administration Co. (USAC), 22 million American households have enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program as of November 27, 2023. That includes over 800,000 veteran households, 5 million seniors, 3.1 million families with a K-12 student receiving free or reduced-price lunch, and a million low-income college students. 

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The following statement should be attributed to Gigi Sohn, Benton Senior Fellow and Public Advocate:

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This week's milestone for the ACP highlights how critical the program is for closing the digital divide, with more than 22 million households relying on it to afford high-speed, reliable broadband. We know that access to affordable, high-speed internet is a necessity in this day and age, and this commitment to connecting all Americans has saved them over $500 million per month on their internet bills. Yet, Congress is on the verge of letting the program run out of money if swift action is not taken to extend ACP funding.

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Despite the program's success and strong bipartisan support, it will run out of funds early next year, leaving 22 million households debating between their internet bill or filling their fridge. We can not let that happen. I urge Congress to meet the moment and invest at least $6 billion to keep this program funded through 2024, giving policymakers time to find ACP funding a permanent home. As the numbers clearly show, funding the ACP isn't a red or blue issue; it's a red, white, and blue issue.

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