King Calls on FCC to Adopt Stronger Net Neutrality Rules

Press Release

Today, as organizations and leading tech businesses across the country rally support for stronger net neutrality rules during a national day of action, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) urged the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in a letter to implement "strong and unambiguous" rules that will guarantee open and equal access to the Internet for everyone.

"Like water or electricity, the Internet is a staple of our lives and our economy. But just because it can be delivered by the same piece of wire or spun glass as cable TV doesn't mean it should be confused in significance and functionality with it," Senator King said in a statement. "People can choose whether to buy Lifetime or ESPN, but the Internet is a necessity for individuals and businesses. To effectively hand over control of this truly essential public service to the owners of the wires would be a mistake of historic proportions that would burden our society for generations. We do not have to create new laws or a complex regulatory structure here. The Internet is analogous to the railroads of the last century -- only today's rails are of glass and copper rather than steel, and the content is information and data rather than coal or cattle. That's why it's crucial that the FCC ensures that the Internet remains open and that its content remains available for everyone and not just those who can afford it."

Senator King's letter to Chairman Wheeler, which can be read below, coincides with a national day of action coordinated by BattleForTheNet.com with the goal of advocating for stronger net neutrality rules. The effort invites people across the country to contact their elected representatives and encourage them to support net neutrality. On May 15, 2014, the FCC proposed rules that would permit Internet service providers "substantial room" for "discrimination" online, undermining the Internet's founding principle and limiting equal market access for startups, small businesses, and individuals. The public comment period on those rules will close next Monday, September 15th.

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