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Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Applauds House Passage of the Save the Internet Act

April 10, 2019

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PRESS PICTURE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Robin K. Chand

April 10, 2019 202-225-3816

Press Statement

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Applauds House Passage of the Save the Internet Act

Jackson Lee: "This bill affirms several important principles and values, including the following: a free and open internet is the single greatest technology of our time, and control should not be at the mercy of corporations; a free and open internet stimulates internet service provider competition; a free and open internet helps prevent unfair pricing practices; a free and open internet promotes innovation; a free and open internet promotes the spread of ideas; and, a free and open internet drives entrepreneurship. In short, a free, open, and vibrant internet protects and strengthens our democracy."

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations, and senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Budget, released this statement following House passage of H.R. 1644, the Save the Internet Act:

"I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of H.R. 1644, the Save the Internet Act and commend House passage of the measure. This bill is nothing less than bipartisan net neutrality protections for consumers and small businesses after the Trump Administration brazenly ended these protections last year. The bicameral Save the Internet Act creates popular, bipartisan and targeted net neutrality protections, and codifies the FCC's 2015 Open Internet Order similar to last year's Congressional Review Act that passed the Senate and had bipartisan support in the House:

  • Strengthening transparency protections, enacting specific rules against blocking, throttling and paid prioritization, and empowering the FCC to investigate consumer and business complaints and fine internet service providers for violations of the Communications Act;
  • Protecting consumers against unjust, unreasonable and discriminatory practices, and promoting competition;
  • Ensuring consumers can make informed decisions when shopping for internet plans; and
  • Restoring the FCC's authority to fund broadband access for rural communities, working Americans, veterans, seniors, students and disabled Americans.

"The Save the Internet Act puts a cop on the beat to protect consumers, small businesses, and competition from abusive practices of internet service providers and codifies popular, bipartisan, and targeted net neutrality protections. An overwhelming 86 percent of Americans opposed the FCC's roll back of the same protections that would be enacted by the Save the Internet Act, including 82 percent of Republicans. The Save the Internet Act mirrors the similar bipartisan Congressional Review Act legislation that passed the Senate last Congress and had 182 bipartisan signers in the House.

"The Save the Internet Act restores necessary, common-sense provisions for defending the internet put in place by the FCC during the Obama Administration and stops the current Trump-dominated FCC from applying more than 700 regulations under the Communications Act that are unnecessary to protecting an open internet such as rate setting. The Save the Internet Act represents true net neutrality protections that are designed for today and tomorrow without loopholes.

"The Save the Internet Act includes enhanced transparency protections, and enacts specific rules against blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization. The legislation empowers the FCC to investigate consumer and business complaints, and, when necessary, fine internet service providers for violations of the Communications Act. Additionally, the Save the Internet Act empowers the FCC to stop internet service providers from undermining net neutrality principles through new and harmful mechanisms. Because of the Save the Internet Act, no longer will internet service providers be able to exploit choke points online, such as interconnection points, which creates bottlenecks and stifle internet connectivity. Additionally, the Save the Internet Act provides important new authorities that can be used to support broadband access and adoption for rural communities and struggling Americans.

"The Save the Internet Act also restores authorities the FCC used starting in 2016 to fund broadband for low-income Americans, including veterans, seniors, students, and disabled Americans, under the Lifeline program that has subsidized phone service since the Reagan Administration, but only began fully supporting internet access recently. It should be noted that nothing in the Save the Internet Act would diminish internet service providers' investments in broadband and that internet service providers did not cut back on investing, deploying and increasing speeds in 2015 and 2016, when the kind of protections the bill restores were put in place by the FCC. In fact, after the Trump FCC repealed those protections, investments by many of the largest providers went down despite their claims that just opposite would happen.

"Finally, it should be noted the legislation affirms several important principles and values, including the following: a free and open internet is the single greatest technology of our time, and control should not be at the mercy of corporations; a free and open internet stimulates internet service provider competition; a free and open internet helps prevent unfair pricing practices; a free and open internet promotes innovation; a free and open internet promotes the spread of ideas; and, a free and open internet drives entrepreneurship. In short, a free, open, and vibrant internet protects and strengthens our democracy. I am pleased this measure passed the House, encourage my colleagues in the Senate to approve the bill, and look forward to its enactment into law."

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee is a Democrat from Texas's 18th Congressional District. She is a senior member of the House Committees on Judiciary and Homeland Security.