Mariluz Garcia sees the impact of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) every month.
Garcia, the Washoe County commissioner who represents a working-class district that includes downtown Reno, said the federal government’s efforts to reduce or even eliminate internet bills for some low-income households will help voters avoid getting jobs online. He says it helps people search and promote internet usage. Telemedicine services.
“For these households, this was a huge deal, because many of them are older adults on fixed incomes, and many of them are working-class families with children,” she said. Ta. “It was very clear how important this program was to people.”
In Nevada, more than 276,000 households, about a quarter of the state, are enrolled in the ACP program. Residents have cumulatively saved more than $136 million on their internet bills by early February, and Clark County will save more residents than all but 11 counties in the nation by the end of 2023. has joined.
But these digital gains are now at risk from a familiar obstacle: Congressional inaction. Funding for the ACP is expected to run out in May, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will begin winding down the program. It stopped accepting new applicants in early February. Hundreds of thousands of Nevadans could face increased internet rates or service cuts if Congress does not renew funding for the program.
“It’s unfortunate that ending this program will force voters to make difficult decisions about what to cut, because they can’t afford the increased cost of living,” Garcia, a Democrat, said in a statement.
The program, created in 2021 through the bipartisan Infrastructure Act, provides eligible low-income households with up to $30 in deductions from their monthly internet bills, with some bills reduced to $0. On tribal lands, that benefit is up to $75 per month. The FCC sends the money directly to your internet service provider.
Households are also eligible for a one-time $100 discount on a computer or tablet through participating providers if they contribute between $10 and $50 toward the cost of the device.
Eligible households must be at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines ($31,200 for a four-person household in 2024) or receive government assistance such as SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, SSI, free or reduced school lunch, or Pell. Receives support from the program. Grant.
In Nevada, the prevalence is particularly pronounced in urban areas of the state. In certain ZIP codes, such as East 89101 in Las Vegas and 89512 in Reno, 100% of eligible households are enrolled.
Brian Mitchell, director of the Nevada Broadband Office, said he has heard from participants that ACP has made everything from working from home to streaming Netflix possible.
Mitchell worries about what will happen when the funds expire.
“When people on fixed incomes had a choice between putting food on the table, paying rent, or paying $30 a month for internet, [said they] There just wasn’t room in the budget to do it,” he said.
Digital equity strategy
Both the Biden administration and the state of Nevada are working on massive broadband expansions in hopes of expanding access while providing affordability and achieving digital equity.
The federal government is making significant investments in this access component. The state has received $416 million to build broadband infrastructure, but hundreds of millions more are mandated to build and upgrade the network through the American Rescue Plan and other recent federal spending programs. .
But connectivity to the state means little if Nevadans can’t afford the internet. And the ACP is a key component of the state’s affordability plan. ACP mentions him 47 times in his 2023 Digital Equity Plan for the state.
“Building more infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas, and driving prices so low that people can no longer afford to use the services or providers can no longer afford to maintain the networks.” If you have to set up a lot of that infrastructure, the impact of the building will be less than it would otherwise be,” Mitchell said.
parliamentary outlook
The ACP is widely popular among lawmakers of both parties, and a bipartisan coalition of 26 governors, including Gov. Joe Lombardo (R), sent a letter to legislative leaders in November asking for additional funding.
The Biden administration is also calling on Congress to restore funding to the program, and think tanks and local officials alike are sounding the alarm about how ending the ACP will undermine the recent rise in digital equity. There is.
The bipartisan infrastructure bill was supported by Nevada’s five congressional Democrats. Rep. Mark Amodei (R-Nevada) voted no.
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) is a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, helped draft the broadband section of the bipartisan infrastructure law, and is an advocate for the ACP, and Sen. Peter Welch (D-Nev.) The bill is being proposed jointly with the state of Nevada. VT) will provide $7 billion in new ACP funding. The fact that it has two Republican co-sponsors is a promising sign.
Leaving the possibility of an extension until the 11th hour has historically been Congress’ approach, and impending deadlines are often the only factor motivating lawmakers.
“We are hopeful that this bill will be included in must-pass legislation and extend funding to the end of the year or beyond, when funding officially runs out in April,” Mitchell said. said.
Still, bipartisan demands to extend the ACP are clashing as a historically inactive Congress threatens to become even more paralyzed this election year.
Nevertheless, Garcia said he is concerned that Nevadans may not know the program is at risk. In a meeting with Nevada lawmakers, he encouraged concerned residents to contact their offices, which will help build public support in Congress. said.
Customers who lose their ACP benefits may be eligible for another FCC program, Lifeline. Nevada households with incomes below 135 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, or households that include participants in federal assistance programs such as SNAP, are eligible for benefits, but the amount provided by the ACP less than. Lifeline beneficiaries can receive up to $9.25 off their monthly internet bill. For tribal land customers, this increases to he $34.25.
The FCC now requires providers to notify customers who receive ACP funds that their benefits may expire and ask them if they would like to opt-in to a new plan in which they will be responsible for paying. That way, no one will receive a surprise bill. If you do not opt-in, your service will be terminated.
Mitchell said based on his conversations with providers, he expects many providers will continue to offer ACP-level rates to their customers rather than lose them. But he acknowledged that the state is unlikely to backfill the $100 million shortfall if federal funding dries up.
“We will continue to work on this issue and adapt and come up with other strategies, but at this point… there are no good options,” he said.
