Letter to the Editor – Zikmund: Congress should extend funding for Affordable Connectivity program
High-speed internet plays an important role in our daily lives, delivering everything from telehealth services, remote learning resources and a wide array of economic opportunities. We should do everything we can to ensure that internet service is accessible to everyone who needs it. That’s why I firmly believe that Congress should extend funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
The ACP benefits over 21 million households across the country, including thousands of South Dakotans. As a veteran and Vice Chair of the SD Senate Military & Veterans Affairs Committee, I’m especially grateful for the positive impact this program is having on those who have defended our country.
The ACP includes specific eligibility criteria that allows veterans to benefit from the program. Currently, over 800,000 veteran households are participating in the program. Internet connectivity isn’t just about accessing entertainment or social media; it’s about unlocking opportunities for education, employment, telehealth, and staying connected with loved ones. For veterans, the ACP provides a lifeline to essential services that empower them to fully participate in the digital economy, receive job training, and access critical telehealth services that a growing number of our nation’s veterans now depend upon.
The ACP also plays a critical role in delivering internet service to persons living in the more rural parts of our country. The ACP not only alleviates some of the cost burden for those living in rural areas but also compliments private and public sector efforts to expand broadband infrastructure. In the coming years, our state will receive over $200 million in federal dollars to build out broadband networks to rural areas that completely lack access. We need to make sure that this taxpayer funding is used as efficiently as possible. The ACP will help us do just that by drastically reducing the amount in funding needed to incentivize internet service providers to build out to these harder to reach areas.
There is no denying that increasing access to high-speed internet is in everyone’s best interest. Connectivity improves educational outcomes, fosters economic growth, and enhances healthcare access. As the world becomes increasingly digital, these goals are unattainable without a concerted effort to bridge the digital divide.
The ACP plays an invaluable role in these efforts, which is why it’s widely popular. Letting this program expire in the coming months will undermine our ability to deliver online resources to veterans and the rural communities that still need it most. As our leaders in Congress negotiate budget priorities in the coming weeks to improve the future of our country, I urge them to extend funding for this much-needed program.
Larry P. Zikmund
State Senator, District 14
Sioux Falls
