The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society outlines reasons Congress should make affordable broadband a priority in 2025…

The ACP’s purpose was well-founded. The program addressed the main cause of the digital divide: internet service is too expensive for low-income households.

The ACP was evenly distributed. ACP benefits helped people across rural and urban areas and Republican and Democratic districts.

The ACP was well-targeted. The program primarily helped households who needed it most. Most of the households enrolled in ACP because they participated in other assistance programs, like Medicaid, SNAP, and Lifeline. That meant their annual incomes were generally at or below $20,000.

The ACP’s impact benefits everyone, regardless of income. The program promoted investment in broadband infrastructure, benefiting everyone whether they participated in the ACP or not.

The ACP was popular: The program was user-friendly, got people online for the first time, and was integral to America’s technological future. For all these reasons, the ACP had overwhelming support among voters, advocates, industry, state officials, and, as we noted, Members of Congress.

In 2024, Congress dropped the ball on affordable broadband. But in this new year, in this new Congress, we need to connect everyone.