[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 166 (Monday, October 16, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S6396]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        CONFIRMATION OF AJIT PAI

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I do not believe Chairman Pai should 
have been confirmed to serve a full 5-year term as Chairman of the 
Federal Communications Commission, FCC. Since assuming the leadership 
role at the Commission, Chairman Pai has systematically advanced 
policies that advance corporate interests at the expense of American 
consumers.
  Chairman Pai's decision to open an NPRM that will eventually reverse 
the 2015 open internet order is an egregious example of his misplaced 
priorities. In 2016, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit 
confirmed that the open internet order was a lawful exercise of the 
Commission's regulatory authority. Broadband service providers must 
provide fair and equal access to all users, regardless of socioeconomic 
status. Over 18 million Americans submitted comments urging the 
Commission to maintain regulations that impose transparency and prevent 
ISPs from throttling or discriminating against certain data. Numerous 
polls have shown that Americans, across the political spectrum, 
overwhelmingly support regulations that would prevent broadband 
companies from discriminating against certain data.
  Chairman Pai claims that the 2015 order caused a decrease in 
broadband investment, but the evidence suggests otherwise. I wrote to 
Chairman Pai about the evidence that he frequently cites to support his 
allegations of depressed investment--evidence, which I believe, is 
incomplete and inconclusive. As technology develops and consumers 
become even more dependent upon internet access, it is imperative that 
the FCC ensures that the internet is not divided between the have and 
the have-nots.
  I was also disappointed by Chairman Pai's support for Congress's 
actions to repeal the Federal Communications Commission's broadband 
privacy rules. These rules are especially important in light of recent 
data breaches. Every website we visit and every link we click leaves an 
unintended trail that tells a story about our lives. ISPs can collect 
information about our location, children, sensitive information, family 
status, financial information, Social Security Numbers, web browsing 
history, and even the content of communications. ISPs sell this highly 
sensitive and highly personal data to the highest bidder without 
consumer's consent or knowledge. The Commission's rules empowered 
consumers and gave them tools to protect their privacy though 
transparency, choice, and data security. In supporting the rule's 
repeal, Chairman Pai demonstrated that he does not believe that 
Americans should have control over their data.
  The rise of the internet of things, telehealth, and smart agriculture 
means that American consumers need an FCC that is on watch and 
committed to protecting their interests. I hope that Chairman Pai will 
reverse course and will stop putting the interests of big corporations 
ahead of the interests of American consumers.

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