One year after the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) was defunded, NaLA reflects on the impacts the program’s end has had on low-income American households across the country.

The following statement can be attributed to David B. Dorwart, Chair, National Lifeline Association (NaLA):

“May 31, 2025 marks one year since the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) ran out of funding. This left too many working class families, seniors and veterans without the means to connect to jobs, school, telehealth and family. With ACP ended, the FCC’s Lifeline program is the only federal program that provides support to those who need assistance to afford monthly internet access. But Lifeline needs an overhaul so that it can provide truly low-income households with meaningful discounts on retail broadband internet access plans that provide the kind of connectivity needed to thrive in today’s connected economy and society.

NaLA is working on legislative and regulatory fixes to make Lifeline an engine for economic growth in rural and other low-income communities, Medicaid savings through telehealth, and wage growth for hard working families and welcome other partners in this work.”