Reliable internet access is something that has eluded rural communities for so long for one main reason: cost. The Affordable Connectivity Program is helping make the internet more affordable and more accessible to rural communities like Tangipahoa Parish and across Louisiana. Getting access to good internet at an affordable price has been nearly impossible, until the ACP came along.

I signed up for the ACP in 2021 after Hurricane Ida. A tree fell through my roof and took out the water heater. Money was already tight before the hurricane, and now I feel like I’m living life closer to the bone. I need the internet for work as a freelance writer; without it, I can’t work.

Like so many Americans, I’m robbing Peter to pay Paul when it comes to bills. I’ve got to pay medical bills, food, or household bills, and I can’t cover them all.

I have never relied on the government to improve my life. That is what I like about the ACP; the ACP is not a government handout — it’s a program we pay for and use. Thanks to the ACP I was able to lower my internet bill by $65 per month.

That $65 saved is meaningful. It’s the difference between being able to buy groceries and afford medication. Don’t even get me started on how much the cost of things has gone up. We’re paying more for less these days. That’s why a program that can save us all money is so important right now.

Even if you don’t use the ACP, its benefits are far-reaching. The ACP has helped expand internet access in rural parts of Louisiana where internet service was bad or didn’t exist before. It means more small businesses have internet access too. Thanks to the ACP, people can apply for jobs online, see their doctors for telehealth visits, talk to relatives in other states and save money on gas because they’re driving less. The money saved can then be spent on things that benefit our communities, not spending a hundred dollars or more a month on the internet. If you think internet access isn’t important, imagine if you had to cancel your internet and go without it, just like I had to, and see how much not having access really costs you.

The ACP is going to expire in April unless Congress takes action. According to a recent poll conducted by WorkMoney of residents in Louisiana, more than 82% of people surveyed believe that Congress should fund the ACP.

U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy, as well as U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, need to take action and ensure that the ACP sticks around. According to WorkMoney’s recent survey, more than half of the residents in Louisiana would blame Republicans if Congress failed to fund the program.

It doesn’t matter which political party you support, we should all be supporting the ACP. It’s not a partisan issue; it’s a financial issue. Ultimately, whatever actions Cassidy, Kennedy and Johnson take are a direct reflection of how much they care about people like me and those in the rural parishes across Louisiana. Keeping the ACP working is a great way to show they care.

Betsy O’Leary lives in Tangipahoa Parish and is a member of WorkMoney.