{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=d07c6a02-5075-4887-98c7-35311faf18fa", "11 Senators Urge Congress to Preserve Strong Net Neutrality Protections", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Maria Cantwell", "C000127", "www.cantwell.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12.19.14\n    \t\t\t  11 Senators Urge Congress to Preserve Strong Net Neutrality Protections \n    \t\t\t\n    \t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n    \t\t\t\t In letter to McConnell and Thune, Senators say two-tiered Internet would be \u2018unacceptable\u2019\n    \t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n    \t\t\t WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 In a letter today, 11 Senators led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) urged leaders of the 114th Congress to preserve net neutrality principles when considering reforms to the nation\u2019s communications law.\r\n\u201cTo the extent that any Communications Act reforms are considered in the next Congress, those reforms must be fully consistent with and protective of net neutrality principles,\u201d the Senators wrote in the letter to incoming Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senator John Thune, (R-SD), who will take over as chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. \u201cThe FCC can and should take strong action to protect consumers as soon as possible. We would forcefully oppose any reforms that would undermine the FCC\u2019s authority to act to adopt meaningful net neutrality rules to protect consumers.\u201d\r\nThe 11 Senators who signed the letter were: Reid, Cantwell, Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Robert Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Tom Udall (D-NM), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Al Franken (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).\r\nThe Senators laid out four essential elements to net neutrality rules:\r\n \r\nProhibiting fast lanes;\r\nPreventing discrimination against and blocking of lawful content;\r\nProhibiting throttling; and;\r\nIncreasing transparency.\r\n \r\n\u00a0\r\n\u201cA two-tiered Internet that allows Fortune 500 companies to pay for special Internet access imperils the innovation that drives the Internet economy, while leaving slow lanes for the rest of us,\u201d the Senators wrote. \u00a0\u201cWe stand with the American people in their desire to keep the Internet open and free. And we stand ready to work with you in ensuring that any reform of our communications laws is consistent with strong net neutrality protections.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\r\nBelow is the full text of the letter.\r\n\u00a0\r\nDear Leader McConnell and Senator Thune,\r\nWe wholeheartedly agree with Senator Thune\u2019s assertion that any action Congress takes to reform our nation\u2019s communications laws must make sense \u201cfor today\u2019s converged, competitive, and Internet-powered world.\u201d Keeping the Internet free and open is essential to this goal. To the extent that any Communications Act reforms are considered in the next Congress, those reforms must be fully consistent with and protective of net neutrality principles.\u00a0 The FCC can and should take strong action to protect consumers as soon as possible. We would forcefully oppose any reforms that would undermine the FCC\u2019s authority to act to adopt meaningful net neutrality rules to protect consumers.\r\nTo be effective, net neutrality rules must provide maximum protection to consumers and maximum flexibility to promote the Internet economy. \u00a0Such net neutrality rules contain at least four essential elements: they must prohibit fast lanes, prevent discrimination against and blocking of lawful content, prohibit throttling, and increase transparency. We hope the FCC will adopt such rules without delay. \u00a0\u00a0\r\nThe Internet has created a $684 billion economic force, accounting for nearly 5 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. \u00a0For example, between 2007 and 2012, the development and use of applications for smartphones and tablets, created 466,000 high-tech jobs and generated more than $20 billion in annual revenue. \u00a0We cannot allow Internet service providers to implement practices that threaten this economic force.\r\n  A two-tiered Internet that allows Fortune 500 companies to pay for special Internet access imperils the innovation that drives the Internet economy, while leaving slow lanes for the rest of us. \u00a0This is unacceptable. \u00a0All consumers and all innovators deserve equal access to an open Internet.\r\n\u00a0Americans understand this. When the FCC first sought comments on its net neutrality rules, four million Americans registered their views with the FCC, the highest number on any issue in FCC history. These comments deliver one message overwhelmingly\u2014most are in favor of the strongest net neutrality protections.\r\n  We stand with the American people in their desire to keep the Internet open and free. \u00a0And we stand ready to work with you in ensuring that any reform of our communications laws is consistent with strong net neutrality protections.\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=d07c6a02-5075-4887-98c7-35311faf18fa"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7429690342396498, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}