On Feb. 5, 2024, NRECA CEO Jim Matheson sent a letter to several key members of Congress to express support for the FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and to request that Congress provide additional funding to this critical program before funds run out this spring.
Matheson stated that as internet service providers, including electric cooperatives, work to build broadband networks in hard-to-reach rural and low-income areas, affordability will become increasingly critical to adoption of these essential services. He warned that should programs such as ACP fail, it could jeopardize access to broadband services for millions of customers. Matheson's letter encouraged support for enactment of the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act to provide short-term clarity and certainty while Congress works to address questions around the future of the program.
