Cantwell Calls for Continuation of Affordable Connectivity Program

350Kians relied on the ACP to help pay for broadband before funding ran out on June 1st, Cantwell-bill would invest $7 billion into popular program

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, spoke on the Senate floor calling for the continuation of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Sen. Cantwell’s Spectrum and National Security Act, would provide $7 billion for the ACP, which helped connect 23 million American households, including 358,024 in Washington state, to affordable internet before funding ran out on June 1, 2024.

“There is no way that ACP, affordable connectivity for people who can't afford it, should be a partisan issue,” said Sen. Cantwell today on the Senate floor. “This is about tackling the cost of expensive broadband for the working poor, and it should not be a partisan issue. Pushing ahead with grant funding enhances America's innovation and competitiveness, it protects our national security, and it helps us with the economic innovation that we all want to see happen throughout the United States.

Sen. Cantwell continued: “I hope my colleagues will stop with obstructing and get back to negotiating on the important legislation that will deliver these national security priorities, and help Americans continue to have access to something as essential as affordable broadband.”

A breakdown of the top 10 counties in WA state with the highest ACP enrollment:

**Data from the Universal Service Administrative Co. is from January 2024. A complete list of ACP household enrollments per county in Washington state is available HERE.**

The Spectrum and National Security Act was scheduled to be considered today in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

“We had a chance to secure affordable broadband for millions of Americans, but Senator Cruz said ‘no,’ said Sen. Cantwell yesterday in a statement. “He said ‘no’ to securing a lifeline for millions of Americans who rely on the Affordable Connectivity Program to speak to their doctors, do their homework, connect to their jobs and stay in touch with loved ones -- including more than one million Texans. Rather than fixing our internet security issues, creating more broadband competition, and fostering cooperation between defense and commercial users, Senator Cruz, instead, is stoking culture wars.”  

The ACP was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021 and offered a broadband discount of up to $30 per month for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands. The ACP also offered households a one-time $100 device discount.

Sen. Cantwell first introduced the Spectrum and National Security Act on April 26, 2024. The comprehensive legislation aims to protect our communications networks from bad actors, update 911 emergency communications, restore Federal Communications Commission (FCC) auction authority, secure critical broadband funding, and invest in CHIPS and Science innovation initiatives to boost U.S. technological competitiveness. Go HERE for a full breakdown on the legislation.

VIDEO of Sen. Cantwell’s floor speech is available HERE, audio HERE, and a transcript of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks is HERE.

Go HERE for supporting quotes from AARP, Competition Carriers Association, NCTA – The Internet & Television Association, Spectrum for the Future, WifiForward, and NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association. 

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