Press Releases

Responding to urgent constituent calls, Maine’s First District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and more than 100 Members of Congress are pushing House and Senate leadership to include funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) in upcoming legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the Members said it’s the most vulnerable families across the nation that will “bear the burden of our inaction if funding lapses.” In Maine, 98,639 households – 1 in 6 households in the state – have saved money on their internet bills because of the ACP. Funding is set to expire for ACP this month.

“With over 23 million American households enrolled, the program has been instrumental in providing affordable broadband access across rural, suburban, and urban areas to low-income households. While certain bipartisan reforms to the program are necessary to improve efficiency and effectiveness, it is the most vulnerable families across the nation that will bear the burden of our inaction if funding lapses,” they wrote. “Additionally, a sudden loss of access for millions of Americans will place additional strain on other government programs as they become inundated with requests that were previously accessible online.”

“We must move quickly to secure the short-term future of this widely-supported program. Preserving the ACP will ensure that millions of Americans will maintain access essential resources for work, education, healthcare, and more. Including this funding in must-pass FAA legislation will allow Congress the time needed to reach consensus on reforms and a long-term, sustainable funding solution,” the Members said.

The full letter is copied below and available online here.

Pingree is a cosponsor of the bipartisan, bicameral Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act, which would provide $7 billion for the ACP. 

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Dear Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Speaker Johnson, and Leader Jeffries:

We write today to express our serious concern regarding the impending lapse of funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). As you know, April was the last month in which the full monthly ACP benefit was available and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has now stated that ACP funding and benefits will cease at the end of this month without additional funding.[1] With this in mind, we urge you to include funding for this highly effective program to bridge the digital divide in legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The ACP provides a lifeline for millions of Americans by enabling them to access essential services, participate in remote learning, engage in telehealth services, search for employment opportunities, and stay connected with loved ones. High-speed internet access has become an indispensable part of everyday life and allows communities to be connected to vital resources that otherwise would not be accessible or affordable.

Established originally as the Emergency Broadband Benefit and signed into law in 2021 under President Trump, this program currently provides $30 per month to eligible low-income households and $75 per month for households on Tribal lands. With over 23 million American households enrolled, the program has been instrumental in providing affordable broadband access across rural, suburban, and urban areas to low-income households. While certain bipartisan reforms to the program are necessary to improve efficiency and effectiveness, it is the most vulnerable families across the nation that will bear the burden of our inaction if funding lapses. Additionally, a sudden loss of access for millions of Americans will place additional strain on other government programs as they become inundated with requests that were previously accessible online.

We must move quickly to secure the short-term future of this widely-supported program. Preserving the ACP will ensure that millions of Americans will maintain access essential resources for work, education, healthcare, and more. Including this funding in must-pass FAA legislation will allow Congress the time needed to reach consensus on reforms and a long-term, sustainable funding solution.

23 million American households – including seniors, veterans and military families, rural communities and more – are counting on us to safeguard them from potential disconnection to vital resources. Your leadership on this issue is crucial. We urge you to include funding for the ACP in the FAA reauthorization legislation to ensure its continued success and impact on closing the digital divide. Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.

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