Biden's $1.9 Trillion Rescue Plan Includes Billions for Broadband

President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act into law last Thursday — a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that has dominated headlines for its $1,400 stimulus checks and extended unemployment benefits. But tucked into the legislation are broadband provisions worth over $10 billion that could change internet access for tens of millions of American households.

The centerpiece is the Emergency Broadband Benefit, and if you qualify, you should sign up immediately.

The Emergency Broadband Benefit: $50 Off Your Internet Bill

The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) is a temporary FCC program that provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for qualifying households. Households on tribal lands can receive up to $75 per month. There's also a one-time discount of up to $100 toward the purchase of a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers.

The program is funded with $3.2 billion from the American Rescue Plan, enough to sustain the benefit for several months depending on enrollment.

Who Qualifies

You're eligible if anyone in your household meets at least one of these criteria:

• Income at or below 135% of federal poverty guidelines (roughly $17,388 for an individual, $35,775 for a family of four)
• Participates in SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance, or Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
• Received a Federal Pell Grant in the current award year
• Experienced substantial loss of income since February 29, 2020 (documented through layoff, furlough, or reduction in hours)
• Meets eligibility criteria for a provider's existing low-income program (like Comcast Internet Essentials or AT&T Access)
• Participates in the FCC's Lifeline program
• Received free or reduced-price school lunch (or the household includes a child who did)

That last criterion alone could qualify an enormous number of families. Before the pandemic, about 30 million children received free or reduced lunch. With pandemic-related income losses, that number has only grown.

How It Works

The EBB isn't a government check. It's a discount applied to your broadband bill by your participating ISP. Nearly every major broadband provider has agreed to participate, including Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, Charter/Spectrum, Cox, CenturyLink/Lumen, T-Mobile, and hundreds of smaller providers.

You can apply through a centralized website (not yet live as of this writing — the FCC is standing up the program now) or through your ISP directly. The benefit can be applied to any broadband plan the provider offers, not just budget tiers, which means qualifying households could use the $50 discount toward a faster plan than they'd otherwise afford.

The FCC has said it expects to begin accepting applications in late April or early May. I'd recommend applying the day the portal opens — the $3.2 billion in funding won't last forever, and there's no guarantee Congress will extend it.

Emergency Connectivity Fund: $7.17 Billion for Schools and Libraries

The second major broadband provision is the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), which provides $7.17 billion to help schools and libraries purchase equipment and connectivity for students, teachers, and library patrons who lack adequate internet at home.

This fund can cover:

• Wi-Fi hotspots and mobile internet service for students
• Laptops, tablets, and other connected devices
• Broadband connections for off-campus use by students and staff

The ECF is administered through the FCC's E-Rate program infrastructure but is separate from E-Rate's existing budget. Applications will go through a simplified process managed by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC).

For school districts that spent the past year scrambling to get devices and internet access to students for remote learning — often using CARES Act money or their own budgets — this is a massive infusion of targeted funding.

Why This Matters Beyond COVID

The pandemic made something painfully visible that broadband advocates have been saying for years: internet access is essential infrastructure, and millions of Americans either can't afford it or can't get it.

The EBB is explicitly temporary — it runs until the funding is exhausted or six months after the Department of Health and Human Services declares the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, whichever comes first. But it establishes a principle that the federal government should subsidize broadband for low-income households, the same way it subsidizes phone service through the Lifeline program.

The bigger question is what comes next. The Biden administration has signaled that a larger infrastructure package is coming, and broadband is expected to be a major component. Senate Democrats have proposed $94 billion for broadband in their infrastructure framework. If even a fraction of that number survives the legislative process, we could see permanent affordability programs and massive investment in rural buildout.

What About the Broadband Infrastructure?

The American Rescue Plan's broadband provisions are primarily about affordability and access to devices — getting help to people who can't afford their internet bill or don't have a computer. The bigger structural problem — that millions of Americans don't have broadband available at any price — is deferred to the infrastructure package.

That's the right sequencing, frankly. You need emergency relief first and infrastructure investment second. But it does mean that the family in rural West Virginia with no broadband option at all benefits only from the ECF (through their kids' school), not from the EBB. You can't discount a broadband bill that doesn't exist.

How to Prepare

If you think you qualify for the Emergency Broadband Benefit:

1. Gather documentation of your eligibility — SNAP enrollment letter, Medicaid card, recent tax return showing income, school lunch approval letter, or layoff notice
2. Check with your ISP to confirm they're participating (most major ones are)
3. Watch for the FCC's enrollment portal — expected in late April/early May 2021
4. Apply early — the $3.2 billion in funding will serve applicants on a first-come basis until the money runs out

The $50/month benefit on a $60/month broadband plan brings the cost down to $10 — that's life-changing for a family struggling to keep the internet on. If you know someone who might qualify, tell them about it. The biggest risk with this program isn't the funding running out too fast; it's eligible families never hearing about it in the first place.