A Native American woman works on a computer in her home office as her elementary age daughter sits on the floor and colors. (File/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA — A COVID-era program that’s helping hundreds of thousands of South Carolinians pay for high-speed internet may end this spring without congressional action.
Gov. Henry McMaster, who’s called connecting all South Carolinians vital to the state’s future , believes it should. The Republican governor says it’s another example of an emergency initiative that needs to go away after the emergency.
“At some point, the pandemic programs need to end once the pandemic is over, and it’s been over for some time now,” he told reporters Monday.
Nationwide, the Affordable Connectivity Program has helped 22.5 million poor families afford to get online by reducing their internet bills by $30 to $75 monthly. It also provides a one-time discount on the purchase of a laptop, desktop or tablet computer.
In South Carolina, nearly 425,500 households are enrolled in the program. That’s roughly one of every five homes.