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In October, the White House asked for $6 billion to extend the
program through December 2024, but Congress has not funded it,
potentially putting millions of households at risk of losing
their internet service.
Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel told
lawmakers in a letter that April is the last month participants
will get the full subsidy, with partial subsidies in May.
Congress previously allocated $17 billion to help lower-income
families and people impacted by COVID-19 gain broadband access
through a $30 per month voucher to use toward internet service.
"We have come too far to allow this successful effort to promote
internet access for all to end," Rosenworcel said on Tuesday.
"Despite the breadth of this support and the urgent need to
continue this program to ensure millions of households
nationwide do not lose essential internet access, no additional
funding has yet been appropriated."
The FCC froze enrollment on Feb. 8 for new users.
The White House says the plan, known as the Affordable
Connectivity Program, helps users save over $500 million per
month on their internet bills.
Verizon, Comcast and AT&T, have all called for Congress to
extend the program.
Bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Peter Welch, JD
Vance, Jacky Rosen and Kevin Cramer would provide $7 billion for
the program. A bill to fund the program for one-year has been
introduced in the House and is backed by 216 members.
The FCC cited a survey that if the program ends, more than
three-quarters of the households in the program "would
experience service disruption or would have to change their
existing plan or stop service altogether."
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Sonali Paul)
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