Senate Panel Advances Bill that Threatens Net Neutrality

Washington, DC — New America’s Open Technology Institute (OTI) today urged the Senate Appropriations Committee to remove language from a spending bill that would weaken the Federal Communications Commission’s recently-enacted net neutrality rules. The legislation, approved today by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services, includes a “rider” that would prevent the FCC from fully implementing the rules. The Senate Appropriations Committee plans to vote on the legislation tomorrow morning.

The following statement can be attributed to Joshua Stager, Policy Counsel for New America’s Open Technology Institute:

"The Senate Appropriations Committee should listen to the millions of Americans who asked the FCC for strong net neutrality rules. As currently drafted, the bill is overbroad and would weaken the strong rules that consumers and small businesses need. We urge Chairman Cochran to fix this legislation before it moves any farther.”