Washington (October 1, 2018) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, released the following statement after California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law strong net neutrality protections.

“The enactment of California’s net neutrality law is a huge victory for the free and open internet,” said Senator Markey. “California has shown Washington and the rest of the country that the internet warriors fighting to save net neutrality will not be stopped. I applaud the coalition who made this win possible.”

“Despite overwhelming bipartisan support for the open internet, the Trump administration, along with the big broadband behemoths, will stop at nothing to prevent strong net neutrality rules from being put on the books on the state and national levels.  That’s why we must continue our efforts, both in the halls of Congress and in the courts, to promote a free and open internet.  I strongly encourage my colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass my Congressional Review Act resolution to restore federal net neutrality rules.”

In December 2017, the FCC voted to repeal the 2015 Open Internet Order, which 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. Senator Markey’s Congressional Review Act resolution to reinstate federal net neutrality protections passed on a bi-partisan basis in the Senate in May.

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