Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), and Dan Coats (R-Ind.), members of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today wrote Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler calling for increased transparency over plans to implement controversial “net neutrality” Internet regulations. Their letter also questions the FCC’s failed process for moving forward with these new rules.
The FCC is currently scheduled to proceed to a vote on the proposed regulations on Thursday, May 15, 2014. Senators Fischer, Ayotte, and Coats point to more than 35,000 public comments received by the FCC and argue that a more rigorous economic analysis of these new Internet regulations is needed. Instead of forcing new Internet regulations, the senators maintain the FCC should focus on the pending broadcast incentive auction that passed Congress with broad bipartisan support. In addition, during his confirmation process, FCC Chairman Wheeler publicly committed that he would come to Congress for direction before pursuing any new net neutrality rules.
The senators also cite calls by FCC commissioners for a delay of Thursday’s vote, as well as a recent news report indicating not all members of the FCC were made sufficiently aware of the Chairman’s revised proposal.
The senators write, “Transparency is paramount in this process, and forcing through regulations in a non-transparent way does a disservice to consumers, businesses, and American taxpayers.”
Full text of the senators’ letter is below. A PDF version of their letter is also available HERE.
May 14, 2014
The Honorable Tom Wheeler
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554
Dear Chairman Wheeler:
We write to express our strong reservations with the Federal Communications Commission proceeding to a vote on proposing net neutrality rules at its May 15, 2014 meeting.
Both the Commission and Congress should have sufficient time to review any proposal on net neutrality prior to further action.
Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Ajit Pai have both called for a delay of the vote. Our understanding, as reported by Politico, is that minority members of the Commission have been kept in the dark about your revised net neutrality proposal. Transparency is paramount in this process, and forcing through regulations in a non-transparent way does a disservice to consumers, businesses, and American taxpayers.
To date, the commission has received over 35,000 public comments since your original proposal was first made public. We believe a more thorough examination of your proposal, including a rigorous economic analysis, is required.
Additionally, we believe the complexity and unprecedented nature of the upcoming broadcast incentive auction warrants the Commission’s full and undivided attention at this critical time. This is necessary to ensure the bipartisan congressional mandates contained in the Public Safety and Spectrum Act of 2012 are properly executed.
Thank you for your prompt consideration. We look forward to working with you on this and other important challenges facing the Commission.
Sincerely,
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