WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) issued the following statement regarding the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) votes to overturn state laws and grant government regulation of private broadband networks.
“Today, Chairman Wheeler and a partisan majority at the FCC declared the agency to be the gatekeeper of the Internet.
“The Commission seized control of private broadband networks by declaring them public utilities under Title II of the Communications Act. The FCC vote stifles years of progress, investment and innovation while jeopardizing the future of the Internet as we know it. Instead of removing obstacles from the information superhighway, the FCC just created an unnavigable maze of bureaucratic potholes and legal roadblocks that guarantee gridlock for years to come. Unfortunately, the FCC’s reckless power grab did not stop there.
“The Commission also voted today to overturn state laws in Tennessee and North Carolina that limit taxpayer funded investments in risky municipal broadband projects. The Commission told the citizens and lawmakers in these states that their voices, views, and laws mean nothing. As a former state legislator and a long-time advocate for states’ rights, I am deeply concerned by the Commission’s decision to ignore the will of the people in Tennessee and North Carolina.
“Today’s irresponsible actions by the FCC were driven not by prudent policy, but by the President’s desire for yet another political sideshow. These votes should be seen for what they are: a cry for help. The Commission has clearly lost sight of its mission and its responsibilities to the American people. Now is the time for Congress to work together to pass laws that the Commission cannot ignore.
“The first should guarantee a truly open, vibrant Internet for all users that promotes innovation and investment in advanced broadband networks. We should also have a serious discussion about comprehensively reforming this agency to ensure that its work is conducted in the light-of-day and with the best interests of the public in mind.”
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