Federal internet access aid available

SEATTLE — A new program announced Tuesday by Sen. Patty Murray could help as many as 1.4 million low-income Washington resident afford internet connections and the equipment needed to get online.

The $14.2 billion Affordable Connectivity Program, part of the huge $715 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden in November 2021, will provide up to $30 per month for qualifying households and $75 per month for households on Tribal land to pay for Internet connectivity, as well as $100 discounts for laptops, tablets or desktop computers to connect to the Internet.

“Today, high-speed internet is as necessary as running water. I’ve met too many families in Washington state who go without reliable internet and it too often puts families with the tightest budgets and least resources at an even greater disadvantage,” Murray said in a press release.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, to be eligible for the program, a household must have a total income at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines ($55,500 for a family of four in the 48 contiguous states) or receive at least one federal benefit, such as a Pell Grant, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income or public housing assistance.

For more information, or to apply for the program, visit the FCC web site https://www.fcc.gov/acp or get internet.gov.