(The Center Square) – Nearly a quarter of Ohio households that get federal taxpayer dollars to help pay internet costs could see that discount go away if a federal program is allowed to expire.
Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, and a group of bipartisan lawmakers want to ensure the program continues with legislation providing $7 billion in taxpayer funds for the Affordable Connectivity Program.
“Over a million deserving households in Ohio receive low-cost internet access thanks to the Affordable Connectivity Program,” Vance said. “This is exactly the type of program my family would have benefited from if I was growing up in Ohio today. We must ensure low-income families all across Ohio, from our bustling cities to the most rural parts of Appalachia, aren’t cut off from the online banking, schooling and connectivity services they need.”
The program began in December 2021 as part of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that passed Congress with bipartisan support.
Since then, more than 22.5 million households across the country have used the program for up to a $30 monthly discount for internet service. Those living on tribal lands receive up to a $75 discount.
In Ohio, 1.1 million households have enrolled in the program, or 23% of households statewide, representing the second-highest household rate in the nation.
Households can qualify if parents, a child or dependent is enrolled in government programs like Medicaid, SNAP, WIC or receiving a veteran’s pension or survivor’s benefit. Discounts are based on household incomes.
A single-person household income of less than $30,000 qualifies, while a family of four must make less than $60,000 annually.
Qualifiers can also receive up to a $100 discount on qualifying devices.
Sens. Peter Welch, D-Vermont, Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, and Kevin Cramer, R-North Dakota, are co-sponsors of the proposed expansion. Reps. Yvette Clarke, D-New York, and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pennsylvania, have sponsored the same legislation in the House.
