WASHINGTON, D.C.– Hours away from a critical vote on the open architecture of the Internet in the House Energy & Commerce Committee, a coalition of consumer groups, seniors, and Internet users is petitioning Members of the Committee to support legislation offered by Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), the ranking Democrat on the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, to protect network neutrality.

A letter sent to the Committee, signed by the AARP, Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America, Free Press, and the US Public Interest Research Group, underscores the weakness of the current legislation on this issue: “The bill does not include strong, enforceable provisions to prohibit broadband network owners from discriminating against content, applications and service providers. Network neutrality is the First Amendment of the Internet, the principle that guarantees that all speakers on the Internet are treated equally.”

Rep. Markey, who is offering the network neutrality amendment along with Representatives Boucher, Eshoo, and Inslee, reacted to the letter: “The broad and growing nature of this coalition displays the importance this issue has to millions of Americans who use and depend on the open structure of the Internet.  I hope the voices of these consumers, small business owners and seniors will be heard and that the members of this Committee will take action to pass our network neutrality amendment.” 

Since the first network neutrality amendment was voted on in the Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee, a broad and diverse coalition has been growing exponentially in support of strong network neutrality protections. It includes leading Internet companies such as Ebay, Yahoo, and Amazon, as well as entrepreneurs, small businesses, consumer groups, Common Cause, Gun Owners of America, the National Religious Broadcasters, moveon.org and the ACLU.  House Democrats are launching a “Citizen Co-sponsorship” of the net neutrality amendment on the Democratic Leader’s website http://www.democraticleader.house.gov/SaveTheInternet, this petition allows thousands of concerned citizens to co-sponsor the Markey amendment and make their voices heard.

For more information about Rep. Markey’s work on telecommunications, along with copies of the letter, the Markey Net Neutrality amendment, and updates from today’s Committee proceedings, please visit http://markey.house.gov

 Coalition Letter in Support of Net Neutrality (4/25/06) (599.31 KB)