350Kians relied on the ACP before funding ran out earlier this year
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, advanced the PLAN for Broadband Act, which includes $7 billion for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP connected 23 million American households, including 358,024 in Washington state, to affordable internet before funding ran out on June 1, 2024.
In June 2024, Sen. Cantwell spoke on the Senate floor calling on her colleagues to support the continuation of the ACP: “This Affordable Connectivity Program provides affordable broadband to more than 23 million American households. Americans need broadband to speak to their doctors, to do their homework, to connect to their jobs, to stay in touch with loved ones …The pandemic laid bare how important broadband access was to every American and to businesses — no different from having access to affordable electricity, or heating, or telephone capacity.”
Prior to ACP expiring, below are the top 8 counties in WA state with the highest ACP enrollment:
| County | Number of Households enrolled in the ACP |
| King County | 79,709 |
| Pierce County | 41,670 |
| Spokane County | 33,032 |
| Yakima County | 29,548 |
| Clark County | 27,957 |
| Snohomish County | 25,354 |
| Benton County | 16,543 |
| Thurston County | 11,907 |
**Data from the Universal Service Administrative Co. is through January 2024. A complete list of ACP household enrollments per county in Washington state is available HERE.**
The ACP was created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021 and offered a discount of up to $30 per month for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands. The ACP was limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.
The PLAN for Broadband Act also includes $3 billion for “Rip and Replace” to remove unsecure Chinese Huawei and ZTE equipment from American broadband networks. Currently 40% of local network operators cannot completely remove unsecure Huawei and ZTE equipment and face significant financial burdens. Without funding to “rip and replace” this equipment, many providers may be forced to cut off service to residents.
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