April marks the last fully funded month of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP.) Come May, more than 23 million American households will begin paying more for their monthly internet service costs, or risk losing it altogether. In order to keep these individuals connected, Congress must appropriate additional funding for the ACP.

The following response can be attributed to David B. Dowart, Chairman of the National Lifeline Association (NaLA):

“Today is the last fully funded day of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). We need two things: a short-term solution to bridge the gap in funding and a long-term, sustainable source of funding for affordable broadband.

The National Lifeline Association (NaLA) commends Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell for her leadership in proposing legislation to fund the ACP through the Spectrum and National Security Act. NaLA joins other leading stakeholders in supporting this important and timely short-term funding solution for the ACP. This legislation would provide funding through the rest of the year for a program that has connected one in six U.S. households. NaLA looks forward to working with all in Congress to pass this legislation which needed to avoid an ACP funding gap and we remain committed to work with the USF Working Group and all stakeholders on long-term funding for the ACP.”