Letter to Joe Barton and John Dingell

April 25, 2006

The Honorable Joe Barton The Honorable John D. Dingell
House Committee on Energy and House Committee on Energy and
Commerce Commerce
U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Chairman Barton and Ranking Member Dingell:

As the House Energy and Commerce Committee considers the Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement (COPE) Act of 2006, we write regarding net neutrality provisions contained within this important measure.

We are concerned that the COPE Act does not sufficiently protect the freedom and open accessibility of the Internet, and instead would essentially cede control to large telecommunications companies such as Time Warner, AT&T, and Verizon. We respectfully request that you change the COPE Act's net neutrality provisions in order to fully guarantee freedom of access to all Internet content.

Free and open access to the Internet is essential for the ever-increasing number of users around the world. Yet the provisions within the COPE Act do not make a substantial effort to prevent large cable and telephone companies from exerting influence on the speed of content delivery to their users. Instead, these companies would be allowed to tax content providers and discriminate in favor of their own services and choose which other services prosper based on who pays them more, achieving an unfair advantage over their competitors. Such action would prevent consumers from obtaining the free and unlimited access to information for which users value the Internet.

As members of the Future of American Media Caucus, we believe that net neutrality should be a benchmark of the strength of American democracy. Any attempt to limit information access on a pay-for-play basis is antithetical to the goal for which the Internet was initially created: to supply content to all users and providers without discrimination. Our country cannot afford to allow media giants to assume control over what information citizens view online. We must protect net neutrality principles.

We therefore encourage you to use the upcoming mark-up to strengthen net neutrality provisions in the COPE Act, addressing enforcement and preventing discrimination through differential pricing and discriminatory access. These changes are necessary to ensure that consumers continue to receive information through the Internet in an unbiased way, free of corporate influence.

Thank you for your consideration of our request. If you are in need of additional information, your staff may be in touch with Moira Campion of Congressman Hinchey's office at 5-6335.

Sincerely,

Maurice Hinchey, Louise Slaughter, Bernie Sanders, Diane Watson, Jim McDermott, Peter DeFazio

http://www.house.gov/list/press/ny22_hinchey/morenews/042506netneutralityletter.html