Dear Friends:

        Last week, the Republican House Majority passed legislation that would hand over the internet to big corporations.  Their measure would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from implementing "Net Neutrality" rules—essential consumer protections that preserve a free and open internet.

        I opposed this legislation because, without the FCC Net Neutrality rules, the big internet-service providers (ISPs) would be able to push their services on the American consumer with impunity.  For instance, if cable companies wanted to block or restrict you from getting movies online, they could.  If phone companies wanted to block or restrict you from making phone calls online, they could.  (These are hypothetical and very possible examples, but not based on any announced or reported plans.)  The FCC's Net Neutrality regulations would preserve and protect the open online market and prevent corporate ISPs from blocking or discriminating access based on the type of content, applications, or services on their network.  All users would be treated equally.

        Instead, the Republican House Majority decided to put the profits of corporate internet-service providers ahead of your right to access the internet free from discrimination.  As large ISPs merge with corporate media conglomerates (see Comcast and NBC), ISPs have a vested financial interest to control the content that flows over their networks to you. Without the FCC protection, ISPs would be able to charge you based on the content and applications on their networks.

        The internet has been able to thrive as a marketplace of innovation, education, communication, and entertainment precisely because it has been free of content discrimination. The online world has made it easy and inexpensive for virtually anyone to propagate an idea, an invention, or a product.  By prohibiting FCC oversight, this legislation threatens to stop the internet from continuing as an open hub of innovation.

        Please know that I will continue to fight for the American consumer to preserve a free and open internet.

        For more information, please click here.


Sincerely,
 

Gary L. Ackerman