Washington (June 11, 2018) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), author of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) Resolution of Disapproval that passed the Senate last month in an historic vote of 52-47, released the following statement as the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) repeal of net neutrality protections officially takes effect today. The House of Representatives CRA resolution currently has 170 co-sponsors. Last week, the entire Senate Democratic Caucus urged House Speaker Paul Ryan to immediately schedule a vote on Senator Markey’s resolution.

“There will be no eulogy today for net neutrality,” said Senator Markey, a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. “The FCC will not have the last word when it comes to net neutrality, the American people will. The fight to restore net neutrality rules has new urgency today and moving forward as we continue to work in the House of Representatives to repeal the FCC’s terrible decision. The American people know they cannot trust their internet service providers to do the right thing and protect a free and open internet unless there are strict rules in place. I urge Speaker Ryan to take an immediate vote on my CRA resolution to restore net neutrality. Until that happens, we will continue to demonstrate in the streets, write letters, make calls, sign petitions, and harness the power of social media. The fight for net neutrality is far from over.”  

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.

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