September, 17 2009, 02:08pm EDT
Rep. Waxman Co-sponsors Net Neutrality Bill
Energy and Commerce Chairman Announces Support for the Internet Freedom Preservation Act at FCC Oversight Hearing
WASHINGTON
Today, at an FCC oversight hearing held by the House Subcommittee on
Communications, Technology and the Internet, Rep. Henry Waxman
(D-Calif.) stated his support for Net Neutrality. Rep. Waxman, chairman
of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, announced that he will
be added as a cosponsor to the Internet Freedom Preservation Act (H.R.
3458.) The legislation would protect Net Neutrality under the
Communications Act, safeguarding the future of the open Internet and
protecting Internet users from discrimination online.
"Industry will benefit from clarity, consistency and predictability
with regard to net neutrality," said Rep. Waxman."I think that the time
is right to formally establish, through legislation if required, the
rules of the road with respect to net neutrality. Accordingly, I have
asked Mr. Markey to add me as a cosponsor to H.R. 3458, the Internet
Freedom Preservation Act."
Ben Scott, policy director of Free Press, made the following statement:
"We applaud Chairman Waxman for taking a stand for Net Neutrality.
Leaders in Congress are echoing President Obama's call to protect the
open Internet and the time has come to establish permanent rules that
promote competition and consumer choice. There is strong support in
Congress, the administration, and from the public to protect the open
Internet -- the time is now to take action and make Net Neutrality law
once and for all."
Read the Internet Freedom Preservation Act here: https://www.freepress.net/files/H.R.3458-7-31-09.pdf
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Despite 100% Pentagon Audit Failure Rate, House Passes $883.7 Billion NDAA
"Instead of fighting the rising cost of healthcare, gas, or groceries, this Congress prioritized rewarding the wealthy and well-connected military-industrial complex," said Defense Spending Reduction Caucus co-chairs.
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Despite the Pentagon's repeated failures to pass audits and various alarming policies, 81 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives voted with 200 Republicans on Wednesday to advance a $883.7 billion annual defense package.
The Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025, unveiled by congressional negotiators this past Saturday, still needs approval from the Senate, which is expected to vote next week. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Wednesday that he plans to vote no and spoke out against the military-industrial complex.
The push to pass the NDAA comes as this congressional session winds down and after the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) announced last month that it had failed yet another audit—which several lawmakers highlighted after the Wednesday vote.
Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), co-chairs and co-founders of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus, said in a joint statement, "Time and time again, Congress seems to be able to find the funds necessary to line the pockets of defense contractors while neglecting the problems everyday Americans face here at home."
"Instead of fighting the rising cost of healthcare, gas, or groceries, this Congress prioritized rewarding the wealthy and well-connected military-industrial complex with even more unaccountable funds," they continued. "After a seventh failed audit in a row, it's disappointing that our amendment to hold the Pentagon accountable by penalizing the DOD's budget by 0.5% for each failed audit was stripped out of the final bill. It's time Congress demanded accountability from the Pentagon."
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Several of the 124 House Democrats who voted against the NDAA cited those "culture war" policies, in addition to concerns about how the Pentagon spends massive amounts of money that could go toward improving lives across the country.
"Once again, Congress has passed a massive military authorization bill that prioritizes endless military spending over the critical needs of American families. This year's NDAA designates $900 billion for military spending," said Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), noting the audit failures. "While I recognize the long-overdue 14.5% raise for our lowest-ranking enlisted personnel is important, this bill remains flawed. The bloated military budget continues to take away crucial funding from programs that could help millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet."
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As Omar, a leading critic of the U.S.-backed Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, also pointed out: "The NDAA includes a provision that blocks the Pentagon from using data on casualties and deaths from the Gaza Ministry of Health or any sources relying on those statistics. This is an alarming erasure of the suffering of the Palestinian people, ignoring the human toll of ongoing violence."
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