rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/letter/making-internet-affordable?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-letter-area-making-internet-affordable' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> Opportunity For All Floridians https://actionnetwork.org/groups/opportunity-for-all-floridians https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/letters/photos/000/304/908/normal/Affordable_Connectivity_in_Florida.png In a world increasingly reliant on internet connectivity, the importance of bridging the digital divide cannot be overstated. High-speed internet is not just a convenience; it's a gateway to opportunity, education, and progress. Broadband infrastructure is the backbone that enables access to networks. Recognizing the urgency of addressing broadband connectivity issues, especially in rural and disadvantaged areas, the Biden administration passed the groundbreaking Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) in 2021. This legislation prioritized broadband expansion, giving rise to two vital programs: the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program and the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Florida has received $1.2 billion through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD) to provide access to high-speed internet to everyone in Florida. Florida also received $2.8 million in funding to expand middle-mile infrastructure in the state. The Middle Mile Grant Program plays a critical role in providing quality, affordable high-speed Internet and connecting unserved regions to the Internet backbone. In addition, about 1,697,000 households in Florida are enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides free or discounted high-speed internet for eligible households. That's about 1 in 5 households in the state.​ We are calling on Congress to extend this program. Without continued Congressional funding, 1,697,000 Floridians are at risk of losing affordable internet access as soon as spring 2024. "We have successfully connected millions upon millions of households to broadband services. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law established a historic and unquestionably successful program to make broadband affordable, and we now appear on the brink of letting that success slip away," said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a press release on January 11. "Disconnecting millions of families from their jobs, schools, markets, and information is not the solution. We have come too far with the ACP to turn back." Write Your Members of Congress: Continue Funding The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). https://opportunityfl.org/call-to-action/write-your-lawmakers-save-funding-for-affordable-internet-for-1-6-million-florida-households/