[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 27, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S1224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Net Neutrality

  Mr. President, on another matter, today Senate Democrats will be 
introducing our legislation to reverse the FCC's repeal of net 
neutrality. It has the support of every single Democrat and one Senate 
Republican, Senator Collins from the State of Maine.
  I say to all my Republican colleagues: This CRA is the best way to 
undo the terrible decision to repeal net neutrality. It is an important 
debate. At stake are two opposing visions of the future of the 
internet.
  For its entire history, the internet has been free and open, 
accessible to all Americans. It has been a true public good, just as 
our highways have. Whether you are on Main Street or Wall Street, you 
have the same internet. Whether you are a consumer or big corporation, 
you have the same internet. Whether you are a teacher in a wealthy 
school or an underresourced school, you have the same internet. 
Equality of access has driven innovation and entrepreneurship and so 
much of what we value in the American spirit and the American economy. 
It is the American way.
  Net neutrality rules were put in place to ensure that the internet 
remains that way--open and equal access to all, no matter who you are, 
how much money you have, how much power you have. But the repeal by the 
Republican-led FCC has opened us to an entirely new universe where 
internet service providers--the big boys--will have the authority to 
sell quality internet to the highest bidder. That means they could 
restrict customers' access to their favorite websites by forcing them 
to buy internet packages or pay more for premium services.
  Big companies could pay to get faster internet service, while 
startups and small businesses and average Americans are left in the 
slow lane.
  Everything from Netflix, to Amazon Prime, to Spotify, streaming 
television, sports, and movies could be slower if you don't pay up.
  Public schools that don't pay for premium service could be put at a 
significant disadvantage.
  Startups that are looking to get their businesses off the ground but 
aren't large enough to negotiate faster internet delivery with ISPs 
might never take off. Our startups in New York are scared to death of 
the elimination of net neutrality, and they have created hundreds of 
thousands of jobs in my city and millions throughout the country.
  The internet without net neutrality is a tale of two internets, where 
the best internet goes to the highest bidder and everyone else loses.
  We have an opportunity to save the internet with our CRA, which would 
reinstitute net neutrality rules that keep the internet just the way it 
is now. Democrats believe that the future of the internet must be as 
free and open as in the past; that the startup founder living in her 
parents' basement should be able to compete with the world's largest 
corporations; that the young student in an underserved school district 
should be able to find all the information he needs online; that every 
American should be able to afford easily accessible internet. If we 
start gradating the internet, it could dramatically hurt our economy 
and hurt equality in America--something we are all striving for.
  Right now, unfortunately, only one Republican has signed up for the 
fair, open vision of an internet that we need and want to keep. All we 
need is one more. On this net neutrality day of action, I urge all 
Americans to contact their Senators and demand they sign up with us to 
save the internet.