In 2021, the infrastructure bill that President Biden passed and signed into law funds an item called the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
Subsidized by taxpayer dollars, several internet companies offer the ACP as a discounted broadband benefit to over 23 million households to use for work, school and other activities.
The legislation appropriated $14.2 billion for the program that allows eligible users a discount of $30 per month toward internet services and others up to $75 per month for households. But the billions spent on the program are set to run out, and the Biden administration is blaming Republicans if they don’t support renewing the program, which could lead to higher internet costs for Floridians.
The media and Biden supporters already have their talking points laid out.
“Tens of millions of Americans could see skyrocketing internet bills this spring,” said the Biden White House. Another Biden official said,” The end of the ACP program will have a special impact on certain vulnerable populations, including senior citizens.” CNN said that if ACP subscribers lose their federal subsidy, ‘they would be forced to choose between paying for groceries and paying for internet service.”
However, some GOP lawmakers have criticized the ACP program and its subsidies as wasteful spending.
Republicans point out that many of those who get the ACP discount had no broadband access before enrolling. Biden officials admit they don’t know the exact numbers benefiting from the government program. They claim internet providers are not mandated to gather that information when someone signs up for the program.
Another issue Republicans say the ACP is wasteful is subsidizing broadband for low-income households with internet access before the program was established.
