Target: Kay Granger, Chair of U.S. House Committee on Appropriations
Goal: Extend program that aids low-income Americans in getting high-speed internet access.
A program that has helped more than 23 million low-income American households secure high-speed internet access will expire soon without urgent intervention. The Affordable Connectivity Program provides a discount of $30 per month (and $75 per month for tribal lands occupants) for internet service that is fast and reliable. Qualifying individuals (by some estimates, up to 40 percent of Americans) also receive a $100 credit towards the purchase of a computer device. As a result, the most vulnerable consumers can enjoy access to a service that significantly helps them in their work lives, their educational lives, and their everyday personal needs.
Funding for this important initiative will end if Congress fails to act. A bipartisan bill was introduced that would cover funding at least through the next year. Republicans in Congress, however, will not allow the bill to move forward.
Sign the petition below to demand this obstructionism that is costing low-income consumers stop at once.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Congresswoman Granger,
Low-income Americans need steady employment and stability to move forward, but a lack of access to the very tools that could help them achieve this goal is standing in the way. You would hardly argue that reliable, secure internet access is essential for upward mobility in today’s world. Everything from job applications to payment billings to school assignments to shopping for essentials routinely takes place online. Yet an estimated 42 million Americans do not have broadband service access.
The Affordable Connectivity Program helped change this narrative for tens of millions of Americans across the nation, especially in rural areas. Now this initiative’s fate is in peril. You may be concerned about spending, but Ronald Reagan himself recognized that sometimes a generous hand can help lift Americans from poverty. He did champion the Earned Income Tax Credit, among other measures.
Please do not withdraw this helping hand that has assisted your constituents and so many more. Support the extension of the Affordable Connectivity Program and ensure that all Americans stay on the internet superhighway.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Designecologist
93 Signatures