You need the internet to exist in today’s world

I live in a rural town with my daughter and granddaughter on a fixed income. As I live out my retirement years, I am proud to focus my work on supporting her granddaughter and helping her unlock her opportunities through the power of her education. . Every day, I help my 12-year-old granddaughter do her homework on her tablet. Her tablet requires an internet connection, and thanks to the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) I can provide it.

ACP gives my family and more than 20 million Americans discounts on their monthly internet bills. I’ve heard the expression that what you pick up from the ground is a lot of money. A $30 monthly discount is a lot of money. However, unless we take action, this internet access discount will change in April when his ACP expires.

How can we survive in today’s America without the Internet? You need it for everything you do in school. To me, the internet is now a basic necessity for America.

I’ve been working since I was 14 years old and I really want to teach my granddaughter the importance of a good work ethic. But today’s world is difficult because children don’t have the same access. ACP will help her study hard at school and have the same opportunities as her classmates who have no problem accessing the Internet at home.

Lately, my bills have been increasing at an uncontrollable rate. When you live on a fixed income, it can be hard to find peace of mind when your bills keep increasing and your income doesn’t increase. That’s why programs that can save you money are so necessary right now.

But my story is not unique. There are many grandmothers out there who, like me, are struggling to make ends meet in retirement. All grandparents want to see their grandchildren have opportunities and succeed. That’s what ACP does: give people opportunities.

At the end of the day, what really upsets me is the impact that losing ACP will have on my granddaughter. I don’t want her to fall behind in school because Congress doesn’t understand the importance of this program. Decision makers in Congress live in a privilege bubble and should not be deciding whether we deserve basic access to the internet. They don’t understand the impact this is having on families and children across America. It goes right over their heads. I come from a Republican family and used to vote red. Currently, I am a registered independent and just want to see Congress in action.

We need Congress to pay attention, make our voices heard, and act quickly. There is a bipartisan bill in Congress to keep the ACP alive. I want Congressman Eli Crane to support that bill and help keep people connected. Congressman Klain often talks about how bad the current situation is, but he wants us to actually do something to help us.

The ACP initially received support from both Republicans and Democrats, an example of how government should work. It gives me hope that it will become law in the first place. We must continue this bipartisan relationship by preserving the ACP for people like me who just want to give our grandchildren a better future.

ACP is opportunity-focused. Access to the internet levels the playing field for kids and allows us all to stay connected. If we all have the same opportunities and ACP provides them, there is no end to what can be done and what can be achieved.