A $14 billion federal program to help Texans log on to the internet may soon run out of funding, but some lawmakers say the money will actually go to helping those who need it. It is claimed that it has not.
The Affordable Connectivity Program provides $30 per month to help low-income households pay for internet service. The program provided funding to approximately 1.7 million Texans.
Last month, the FCC began mailing notices to people on the plan warning them that they won’t receive the full discount until April.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers wants to extend funding through the end of the year, but some Republicans are resisting that. Sen. Ted Cruz signed a letter in December saying the program was meant to connect non-subscribers to the internet, but the letter said the “vast majority” of funding would go to those who already have broadband. It says it was donated to households.
The letter said the FCC dismissed those concerns and provided no data to support its claim that without funding, 25 million households nationwide could lose access to the internet.
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