Congress Should Improve, Not Dismantle, Net Neutrality Rules

On Wednesday, the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing with all five commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission on the agency's Net Neutrality rules adopted in December. Members of Congress have threatened to revoke the already limited rules through measures that would hamstring the FCC's ability to enforce them. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski defended his rules, and his agency's ability to enforce them, calling them "straightforward and sensible."

Free Press Research Director S. Derek Turner made the following statement:

"We would welcome policies from either side of the aisle that would protect free speech online and preserve the Internet as a platform for new and innovative technologies that would allow small businesses to create jobs and compete alongside the largest companies. But what we heard today weren't policies, but merely partisan attacks on the FCC's effort to craft Net Neutrality rules.

"This is just further evidence that the interests of the biggest phone and cable companies - who are among the biggest campaign donors in Congress -- are held in higher regard than the interests of the American people. It appears that some members of Congress actually care far more about proving their fidelity to giant corporations than actually promoting the growth of small business, jobs and innovation.

"We urge Congress, instead of standing by while the big phone and cable companies try to avoid any oversight by the FCC, to stand with the millions of Americans of all political stripes who support the open Internet. We urge Congress, instead of dismantling the limited protections that the FCC did put in place, to improve upon them with policies that would put the public first, foster competition, lower prices and move America to the forefront of technology and innovation."