WASHINGTON, April 2 (Reuters) - The White House plans to

renew a push in April to convince Congress to extend an internet

subsidy program used by 23 million American households just

weeks before it runs out of money, officials said.

In October, the White House asked for $6 billion to extend

the program through December 2024, but Congress has not funded

it, potentially putting millions of households at risk of losing

their internet service.

Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel

told lawmakers in a letter that April is the last month

participants will get the full subsidy, with partial subsidies

in May.

Congress previously allocated $17 billion to help

lower-income families and people impacted by COVID-19 gain

broadband access through a $30 per month voucher to use toward

internet service.

"We have come too far to allow this successful effort to

promote internet access for all to end," Rosenworcel said on

Tuesday. "Despite the breadth of this support and the urgent

need to continue this program to ensure millions of households

nationwide do not lose essential internet access, no additional

funding has yet been appropriated."

The FCC froze enrollment on Feb. 8 for new users.

The White House says the plan, known as the Affordable

Connectivity Program, helps users save over $500 million per

month on their internet bills.

Verizon, Comcast ( CMCSA ) and AT&T ( T ), have all

called for Congress to extend the program.

Bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Peter Welch,

JD Vance, Jacky Rosen and Kevin Cramer would provide $7 billion

for the program. A bill to fund the program for one-year has

been introduced in the House and is backed by 216 members.

The FCC cited a survey that if the program ends, more than

three-quarters of the households in the program "would

experience service disruption or would have to change their

existing plan or stop service altogether."