[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 196 (Friday, December 1, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H9572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      PROTECTING AN OPEN INTERNET

  (Ms. ESHOO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, last week, FCC Chairman Pai circulated his 
plan to extinguish the most important technological achievement in 
modern history: the free and open internet. His plan guts the 2015 open 
internet rules and removes the FCC as the cop on the beat to protect 
consumers online.
  Without protections against blocking, throttling, or paid 
prioritization, there will be nothing to stop ISPs from slowing or 
blocking a website or charging consumers more to access certain 
content. It would allow ISPs to pick winners and losers by charging 
small businesses tolls to reach potential customers online, and they 
will be able to control the flow of information on the internet.
  Millions of Americans cheered for the 2015 rules to protect the open 
internet, rules that have been upheld by the courts. With those rules 
in place, ISPs have been less likely to mess with content.
  Meanwhile, investment in the online ecosystem continues to grow with 
innovative new apps and more buildout of broadband.
  I stand here in opposition to Chairman Pai's plan, and I urge my 
colleagues to do the same. The internet belongs to all of us, not just 
the big ISPs.

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