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Small Business Broadband Deployment Act

Floor Speech

By: Bob Latta
By: Bob Latta
Date: March 16, 2016
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Technology and Communication Business and Consumers

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Mr. LATTA. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4596, the Small Business Broadband Deployment Act. This legislation limits the regulatory burden on small Internet service providers, ISPs, serving rural America, just like in my area, and allows them to focus on improving services for consumers.

The Federal Communications Commission's 2015 Open Internet Order included enhanced transparency rules for ISPs, requiring disclosure of commercial terms for prices and other fees and a number of complicated performance metrics. The FCC recognized that the burden of compliance would fall disproportionately on smaller providers and offered regulatory relief by temporarily exempting ISPs with 100,000 subscribers or fewer.

Today's bipartisan action will extend the exemption to 5 years and expand the definition of small broadband providers to fewer than 250,000 subscribers. This commonsense proposal will help small and rural broadband providers across my district focus on investing in networks, deploying broadband, improving connectivity, and creating jobs.

I thank Chairmen Upton and Walden, Ranking Member Pallone, and Congressman Loebsack for working together on this bill. I am proud to support H.R. 4596 and believe it will protect vital small ISPs who serve all of our constituents.

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