January, 15 2015, 02:15pm EDT

A Ringing Endorsement for For Net Neutrality: reddit, Activism Orgs To Drive Thousands of Phone Calls To Congress
WASHINGTON
Members of Congress should expect to hear from tens of thousands of constituents in the coming days as Internet users rise up once again in support of strong Net Neutrality rules. The calls are being organized by Demand Progress, Fight For The Future, Free Press Action Fund, and reddit. The effort is hosted at BattleForTheNet.com, a hub site for Net Neutrality activists, and marks the anniversary of a court decision striking down net neutrality rules that were promulgated under an inappropriate authority.
The FCC is expected to issue a new Net Neutrality rule on February 26th. Constituent input to Congress is critical, as Congress may or may not attempt to overturn the FCC's rule.
By visiting BattleForTheNet.com and entering just their phone number and zip code, users will receive an automated call connecting them to both their senators and their representative.
Reddit, which receives more than 170 million unique visitors each month, will use space on its front page to promote the effort.
Calls will be placed to Congress all day long, but those who call Congress after 3pm Eastern will then be connected to reddit co-founder and executive chair Alexis Ohanian. Mr. Ohanian will be broadcast live on reddit so that users can watch as he frenetically thanks as many Internet users as possible for standing up for Net Neutrality.
"The Internet is driving the new digital economy, but legacy corporations would like to stifle that innovation. Steve Huffman & I were very fortunate in starting reddit, so I'm honored to spend a day thanking the Internet users who are fighting to save Net Neutrality for the next generation of tech entrepreneurs," said Alexis Ohanian.
"Too often in Washington, well-heeled lobbyists get their way simply because the rules are too arcane for the average person to follow. That simply isn't the case with the Internet. The future of the Internet is too important to sell off to the highest bidder," said David Segal, executive director of Demand Progress.
"Brace yourself, Congress. The Internet is coming," said Evan Greer, campaign director at Fight For The Future.
"It's time for members of Congress to either get on the right side of the Net Neutrality issue or get out of the way," said Free Press Action Fund President and CEO Craig Aaron. "Millions of Americans have spoken out, and the FCC is poised to give us the real Net Neutrality rules we need. Congress has already put in place the bipartisan legal framework that would make this a reality. The FCC now just needs to act by reclassifying Internet access under Title II."
Net Neutrality is the fundamental principle of the Internet that treats all web traffic equally. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) must treat the small amount of traffic necessary to check an email the same as traffic necessary to stream video. If Net Neutrality didn't exist, ISPs would be free to change the speed at which you can access certain content to extract profit, or block it all together.
Verizon sued the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), arguing that the FCC's 2010 rules were promulgated under an faulty authority. A court agreed exactly one year ago today.
While corporations like Verizon and Comcast see extra profits to be had by selling priority access to their consumers, Internet users have demanded that the FCC simply reclassify broadband Internet and keep similar rules to those that have always governed the Internet. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler will announce his plans on February 5th.
Millions of people have called or written the FCC demanding the agency reclassify broadband Internet access under Title II of the Telecommunications Act. A previous effort organized by The Battle for The Net coalition generated more than 300,000 phone calls, 800,000 FCC comments and 2,000,000 emails to Congress in a single day in support of Net Neutrality.
Fight for the Future is a group of artists, engineers, activists, and technologists who have been behind the largest online protests in human history, channeling Internet outrage into political power to win public interest victories previously thought to be impossible. We fight for a future where technology liberates -- not oppresses -- us.
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Trump White House Lies About Budget Bill's Tax Cuts as US Public Opposes Giveaway to Rich
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt misleadingly touted tax deductions for overtime and tips—while neglecting to mention the bill's much larger tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans and large corporations.
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You left something out. https://t.co/LwMFX2nbyM pic.twitter.com/9Dn2FoBZNH
— Brendan Duke (@Brendan_Duke) July 3, 2025
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Attorneys representing Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an immigrant whom the Trump administration wrongly sent to El Salvador's infamous Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), are alleging that he and other detainees at the site were subjected to physical abuse and psychological torture.
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The Trump administration last month complied with a Supreme Court order to facilitate Abrego Garcia's return to United States after it acknowledged months earlier that he had been improperly deported to El Salvador. Upon his return, the United States Department of Justice promptly hit him with human smuggling charges to which he has pleaded not guilty.
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) delayed the final vote on the bill with an hours-long—and, as of this writing, still ongoing—speech that featured stories from constituents who are horrified that they will soon lose health coverage or food aid.
"This isn't abstract, taking away healthcare from the American people," said Jeffries. "It's concrete, it's real, it has devastating implications."
Watch Jeffries' remarks live:
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"In just a few short hours, some of them on Medicaid will be waking up and turning on the news to find out if what we did here tonight means they're about to lose it," said Boyle. "Some of the people who get their healthcare from the ACA exchanges will be turning on their TV to find out what we've done in these next few minutes, and if they will still be able to have healthcare... The kids who rely on SNAP, the nutrition assistance program, they may not quite understand it, but make no mistake about it—what we are about to do in the next few minutes here will have a profound effect on their lives."
As Ranking Member @HouseBudgetDems, I'm on the House floor right now to lead the fight against Trump's Big Bill for Billionaires.
This bill is an attack on my neighbors — and I'm not going to let Republicans kick 17 million Americans off their health care without a fight. pic.twitter.com/MeBkYKd8f2
— Rep. Brendan Boyle (@CongBoyle) July 3, 2025
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"People will suffer, people will die, and it will be the hands of Republicans who vote yes," said Amo. "The top 1% are salivating over getting an extra $300,000 a year because of this dangerous bill. Billionaires win."
Back speaking on the House floor at 3:45am because budgets are a statement of values — with this big, ugly bill Republicans have none.
Americans will suffer. Americans will die. And it will be at the hands of the Republicans who vote yes.
This budget is shameful. I’m a hell no! pic.twitter.com/K5Ri5lGzzs
— Congressman Gabe Amo (@RepGabeAmo) July 3, 2025
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