The Affordable Connectivity Program is a federal program that lowers internet costs for recipients by $30 per month, or $75 per month for recipients on tribal lands. 1,718,552 Texans are enrolled in the program. But the program will likely end next month unless Congress funds it.
Springman is sounding the alarm on Rep. Dan Crenshaw and Sen. Ted Cruz in hopes of keeping the program alive.
“They need to seriously consider this,” said Dave Corson. “It’s a very small portion of the total budget, but it does benefit a lot of Americans.”
The former manufacturing safety instructor said he learned about the program two years ago when he was trying to negotiate with his internet provider.
Colson applied on the same day and registered shortly thereafter.
“The internet isn’t cheap. So every little bit helps, especially for families with limited or very low incomes,” he said.
He lives in Spring with his retired wife, daughter, and home-schooled granddaughter.
“Without ACP, we might not have been able to afford Gigabyte service. We might have had to switch to only standard Internet because Gigabyte service costs more than standard Internet,” Corson said. I did.
The Federal Communications Commission announced in February that it had stopped accepting registrations, citing a lack of new funding.
“We have successfully connected millions of households to broadband service. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Act established a historic and undeniably successful program to make broadband affordable, but I We are now on the brink of missing out on that success,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a press release. “Cutting millions of families off from jobs, schools, markets, and information is not the answer. We have gone too far with ACP and there is no turning back.”
Colson said the $30 that was supposed to go toward the bill was sent to a “just in case” account.
“Just in case something happens, if there’s an accident, if we need additional resources,” Corson said. “[I] I always tried to save money just in case. ”
Mr. Cawthorn lives in Congressman Crenshaw’s 2nd District, which includes parts of Spring, Kingwood and The Woodlands. According to the White House, 21,080 people in the 2nd District are enrolled in the program.
“People may say, ‘Just quit the internet.’ We don’t need the internet,” asked KPRC 2’s Rilwan Balogun.
“But everyone really needs it in today’s world,” Colson said. “I’m not necessarily advocating for more federal spending. I’m just saying do it the right way. Spend it the right way.”
KPRC 2 has reached out to Representative Crenshaw and Senator Cruz but has not yet received a response.
However, Mr. Colson shared with Mr. Balogun the response he received from Mr. Crenshaw’s office shortly after Mr. Balogun contacted him.
Rep. Crenshaw’s message to Colson
Dear friend,
Thank you for contacting us regarding our affordable connectivity program. We welcome and appreciate your concerns and this opportunity to respond.
As you know, the Affordable Connectivity Program is a pandemic-era program created through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to ensure reliable internet during uncertain times. The program stopped accepting new enrollment applications on February 8th. The Affordable Connections Program was created as a temporary benefit, but a bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives to extend the program. HR 6929, the Affordable Care Program Extension Act, would extend the program through the end of fiscal year 2024 and provide $7 billion in funding.
We understand the importance of affordable broadband access in our communities, especially considering the impact on education, telehealth services, employment opportunities, and overall connectivity. I’ll be sure to keep your thoughts in mind when HR 6929 and other affordable broadband bills come before the House.
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