Hardworking Nevada Families at Risk of Losing Affordable, Quality Internet

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 18, 2024

HARDWORKING NEVADA FAMILIES AT RISK OF LOSING AFFORDABLE, QUALITY INTERNET

MAGA Republicans in Congress threaten the future of the Affordable Connectivity Program as program funding dries up April 30th

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Biden, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has delivered quality, affordable internet access for Nevada families. Even though more than 276,000 households statewide rely on this program to help with their monthly internet bills, funding for this essential program is set to end on April 30th — risking Nevadans’ ability to access vital web services if Republicans in Congress fail to act.

Ahead of the funding expiration deadline, Building Back Together Executive Director Mayra Macías released the following statement:

“For over two years, the Affordable Connectivity Program has been a lifeline for millions of hardworking families, including one in four households across Nevada, by providing fast, affordable internet access that allows kids to complete school work, patients to access essential tele-medicine services, and people with disabilities to work remotely. Since it was enacted, this program has been instrumental in bridging the connectivity gap across our nation, especially for communities of color and tribal communities. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of broadband access, highlighting the urgent need for Congress to act now and pass additional funding before it expires at the end of this month.

“Despite communities nationwide relying on the ACP, even in districts held by House Republicans, Republicans in Congress have continued to ignore President Biden’s call to extend funding for this program, jeopardizing access for over 23 million American households. We stand with President Biden and House Democrats in urging House Republicans to prioritize the American people by passing the bipartisan Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act and extending this vital funding now.”

If House Republicans fail to act, Nevada families will lose access to the affordable broadband and economic relief brought by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Affordable Connectivity Program:

276,024 Nevada households – 1 in 4 households in the state — are enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program.
Nevada has received more than $153 million from the Affordable Connectivity Program to help connect families to more affordable service — saving families throughout the state about $8.4 million a month on their internet bills.
In his budget requests from October 2023, President Biden requested an additional $6 billion from Congress to keep the ACP funded through December 2024. Unfortunately, House Republicans did not include that funding in their budget proposal, putting American households reliant on the ACP at risk of losing access to broadband internet.

###