Senator’s resolution passed Senate in May with bipartisan support

Washington (July 17, 2018) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, released the following statement after Republican Congressman Mike Coffman (CO-06) announced he is going to support Congressman Mike Doyle’s (PA-14) resolution to reinstate the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) net neutrality rules. Senator Markey is author of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) Resolution of Disapproval that passed the Senate in May in an historic vote of 52-47. The House of Representatives CRA resolution will now have 177 co-sponsors.

“I applaud this bipartisan momentum that is building in the House of Representative for my CRA resolution to restore net neutrality rules,” said Senator Markey. “I hope more Republicans will join this effort and stand on the side of American families who rely on and overwhelmingly support a free and open internet. I reiterate my call on Speaker Ryan to immediately schedule a vote on the CRA resolution so we can put net neutrality rules back on the books as soon as possible.”

In December 2017, the FCC voted to repeal the 2015 Open Internet Order, which the D.C. Circuit Court had upheld in 2016. The Open Internet Order prohibited internet service providers from blocking, slowing down, or discriminating against content online. Repealing the net neutrality rules could lead to higher prices for consumers, slower internet traffic, and even blocked websites. A recent poll showed that 86 percent of Americans do not approve of the FCC action to repeal net neutrality rules, including 82 percent of Republicans.

###