[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 203 (Wednesday, December 13, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7998-S7999]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Net Neutrality

  I rise today to join my colleagues to oppose the Federal 
Communications Commission's planned vote tomorrow to dismantle net 
neutrality rules. As this proposal has been considered, I have been 
troubled by the impact this decision will have on consumers and small 
businesses, as well as by the process itself, which has been seriously 
flawed with regard to gaining public input on this critical issue.
  Access to a free and open internet is at the forefront of the lives 
of nearly every American. Consumers, entrepreneurs, innovative small 
businesses, and, in turn, our Nation's economy, have all benefited from 
equal access to content on the internet, no matter the internet service 
provider. An open internet has been essential to civic engagement, 
social and economic mobility, and the fight to make progress for our 
underrepresented populations, just as we saw with the national Women's 
March at the beginning of this year, which was largely organized 
through online activism. An open internet is critical to our economy 
and our democracy, and net neutrality has guaranteed this equal access. 
But tomorrow's vote by the FCC would change all of that.
  Under the plan from FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, the control of the 
internet experience will be taken from the consumer in Keene or the 
small business in Nashua and handed over to their internet service 
providers. Undoing net neutrality would give broadband providers the 
power to discriminate against certain web pages, applications, and 
streaming and video services by slowing them down, blocking them, or 
favoring certain services while charging more to access others. This is 
particularly disturbing at a time when many consumers have, at most, 
one or two options for broadband providers, leaving those who don't 
like the steps a provider is taking without a choice to change.
  Additionally, dismantling net neutrality rules will hurt small 
businesses and will stifle innovation. Under these rules, internet 
service providers would be allowed to force businesses to pay to play 
online. While larger, well-established companies would likely be able 
to compete, startups and entrepreneurs across the Nation might not be 
able to afford such fees, causing instability and limiting the reach of 
their new businesses.
  In New Hampshire, innovative small businesses are the backbone of our 
economy, creating good jobs and stimulating economic growth. But 
undoing net neutrality could limit the ability of that next great 
business to get off the ground.
  A Manchester small business owner recently wrote to my staff to say: 
``I believe that Net Neutrality should stay in effect as it allows 
every business to be on the same footing.'' The business owner also 
said that under this proposal, ``If you are leveraging the internet to 
boost your business, it will affect it dramatically.''
  That business owner is not alone. Just today, several members of the 
rural and agricultural business community in New England, including 
Stoneyfield from Londonderry, NH, wrote to Chairman Pai to say: 
``Repealing net neutrality would have a crippling effect on rural 
economies, further restricting access to the internet for rural 
business at a point in time where we need to expand and speed this 
access instead.''
  Hundreds of people have called my office to voice their support for 
net neutrality. People across the Nation recognize that the plan 
proposed by the Republican-led FCC will truly impact their way of life.
  In response to Chairman Pai's proposals, millions have also written 
to the FCC to state their position on this issue, but it seems that 
this process has been corrupted, with internet bots placing hundreds of 
thousands of comments in favor of repealing net neutrality. Roughly 
400,000 of those comments may have, it seems, originated from Russia 
email addresses. Additionally, 50,000 consumer service complaints have 
been excluded from public record, according to a Freedom of Information 
Act request filed by the National Hispanic Media Coalition.
  On any FCC decision, public input is vital, and on this decision, 
which impacts every single American, it is unacceptable that the 
public's opinion may have been distorted by fraudulent comments and 
additional anomalies.
  Last week, I--along with 27 of my colleagues--wrote to Chairman Pai 
calling for a delay in this vote until we have a clear understanding of 
what happened during the policymaking process. Unfortunately, Chairman 
Pai has continued rushing toward this vote, and, as has been all too 
common with the Trump administration, the Republican-led FCC is 
favoring the priorities and voices of corporate special

[[Page S7999]]

interests rather than listening to hard-working Americans who want to 
keep net neutrality.
  The Commission has failed to address the concerns that these comments 
are artificially generated, has not held one public hearing on net 
neutrality, and is moving forward at an alarming pace, without regard 
for what eliminating these rules would mean for our economy and our 
consumers.
  Undoing net neutrality will fundamentally change the concept of a 
free and open internet that so many Granite Staters and Americans have 
come to know and have benefited from. Approving this plan would be a 
reckless decision.
  I am going to continue fighting for priorities that put consumers 
first, that help small businesses innovate and thrive, and that advance 
an open and free internet.
  Thank you.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HOEVEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.