Affordable Internet Helps Communities Weather the Storm

Today, internet connectivity is critical for everyone. But for many, having a reliable connection can mean the difference between life and death.

This is especially true in communities facing natural disasters. From hurricanes to wildfires, droughts to tornadoes, the crises that hit households across the country each year highlight the need for reliable, affordable internet to keep families connected and emergency services accessible.

This week, a key congressional committee is meeting to consider the White House request for disaster relief funding, which hopefully will include support to help those affected pay for broadband. The Biden Administration's request does not specify funding for broadband, although previous Administration disaster aid packages have highlighted the need for internet funding.

Congress has, and should use, the authority to ensure broadband is funded. By prioritizing funding for affordable internet access, communities will have greater capacity to withstand future challenges.

Until it expired earlier this year, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) helped 23 million households struggling to stay connected. Combined with the federal Lifeline program, families who couldn't afford internet service, or were at risk of losing access due to financial hardship, had support. Now with ACP expired, Lifeline is the only federal internet affordability program, leaving millions of ineligible families with no option but to downgrade service, cancel their home internet subscription, or — if they're fortunate enough to have it — rely only on the small amount of data provided through their cell phone plan. Although the Lifeline program is still critical for many families, it was never intended to meet the extensive broadband needs of the 21st century; outdated policies, narrow eligibility requirements, and insufficient funding make applying for the benefit difficult, leaving vulnerable families without the support they need.

As natural disasters become more powerful and frequent, families without adequate internet service are increasingly vulnerable. This year alone, hurricanes have swept across the Gulf Coast to Florida and up through Appalachia, with more storms expected before the end of hurricane season. Every year, wildfires rage in the drought-ridden West, numerous states experience intense flooding, and extreme weather affects every corner of the U.S., forcing communities to adapt.

The ACP was an essential tool in the arsenal to build resilient communities, allowing lower-income families to stay informed about public safety, access emergency services, and keep children learning when in-person options are unavailable. Without affordable internet, marginalized communities disproportionately lose access to support during extreme weather events. Many families in disaster-prone communities lack adequate housing, disaster insurance, and have fewer resources to evacuate or recover. Poor broadband access is another inequity that undermines Americans during times of crisis. Seniors struggle to contact relatives and health care providers; students experience more significant learning loss if schools cannot reopen quickly; and lower-income households already experiencing financial hardship accumulate more debt or face homelessness if a natural disaster interrupts income. These barriers lead to slower recoveries and deepen financial hardship over time.

Congress should prioritize broadband connectivity in this disaster aid package or in another bill that must pass this year by extending the ACP until a longer-term solution can be crafted through reform of the longstanding Universal Service Fund. Subsidizing internet access for millions of families provides immediate emergency resilience and long-term educational and economic opportunity. Congress supported broadband before and they should do it again to ensure a connected — and more secure — future for all Americans.

Lauren Jackson, Advocacy Project Coordinator at Common Sense, contributed to this article.