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ARL Joins Coalition Asking House Appropriations Committee to Oppose Portions of Bill Threatening Implementation of Net Neutrality

Last Updated on April 22, 2021, 1:42 pm ET

On June 16, 2015, ARL joined a coalition of 64 public interest groups, civil rights and social justice organizations, and companies to oppose the portions of a House Appropriations bill that would threaten implementation of the FCC’s Open Internet Order, rules governing net neutrality that went into effect on June 12th.  Last week, a House Appropriations subcommittee voted in favor of the bill which includes provisions that would prevent the FCC from enforcing its Order until after litigation over the rules has ended and the full committee is expected to take up the bill this week.

The letter discusses the importance of net neutrality and cites the strong support for an open Internet.  It calls for the removal of provisions that would prevent enforcement of the FCC’s net neutrality rules, explaining:

These sections would gut the Open Internet Order, leaving the American people and economy vulnerable to blocking, discrimination, and other unreasonable practices of gatekeeper broadband providers.  These measures, buried in a spending bill that is 150 pages long, constitute a direct rebuke to the millions of people that asked for strong Net Neutrality rules.  By eliminating the FCC’s ability to protect Net Neutrality, this appropriations bill would have a chilling effect on our First Amendment rights and our economy.

 

 

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