[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Pages 1749-1750]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             NET NEUTRALITY

  Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the importance 
of the issue of Net neutrality and the importance of it to our 
innovation economy.
  The Internet is a $638 billion economic force, and according to the 
McKinsey Global Institute, it supports millions of jobs across our 
Nation. Setting the right policy for the Internet is critical for the 
continuation of American job creation in an innovation economy.
  Over the next 24 hours, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is expected to 
announce strong Net neutrality standards to support the growth of this 
innovation economy.
  According to news reports, the FCC will establish clear rules of the 
road to ensure that no content is blocked and that the Internet cannot 
be divided into fast and slow lanes. This announcement would set a 
clear framework for the innovation economy and the millions of jobs 
that depend on it across our Nation. It would make a game-changing 
milestone for American innovators and consumers because a comprehensive 
plan would protect consumers while still allowing for flexibility of 
business growth and investment and making sure that American consumers 
and innovators are protected.
  The Commission is expected to vote on this rule later this month, and 
I

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hope that all of our colleagues will be paying attention to this 
decision because this decision is not just whether I can download or 
use Netflix, it is really about equal access to the marketplace. It is 
about how the future success of these innovators are determined.
  Over the last few years, we have been debating the future of the Web, 
and that is because broadband companies have tried to leverage what is 
to be established as a two-tier Internet--those with fast lanes because 
of their ability to pay more and slow lanes for those who can't pay 
more.
  I believe the President did the right thing. He called on the FCC to 
make the right decision when it comes to the Internet and protecting it 
from cable companies who want to overcharge or slow down connections. 
The FCC seems to be willing to make the right call, by protecting 
consumers and the Internet, under a new order which, just like a 
utility, would give consumers the ability to be protected from bad 
service or exorbitant fees. At this point in time, that is what we need 
to do to protect consumers.
  According to the news reports, Chairman Wheeler will announce a plan 
to use the FCC authority in the most comprehensive way to protect Net 
neutrality, prohibit pay-to-play fast lanes, prohibit blocking and 
throttling, require greater transparency for consumers, and apply the 
rules to wireless broadbands so that smart phones are treated just like 
the browser on your desk.
  This plan would cover what is known as the middle mile or Internet 
traffic or the companies that content providers, such as Netflix, pay 
to bring traffic to cable companies, such as Comcast, to connect to 
you, the end user. These important policies will provide certainty to a 
startup in business, and they will make sure that those products get 
equal access.
  Last month I had a roundtable in Seattle with several startups and 
experts on Net neutrality, and many of those companies relied on the 
Internet to transform their ideas into successful businesses. They 
explained how the debate affects more than just tech companies. They 
said software is revolutionizing every industry, from retail to health 
care, everything from the way you pay for your coffee at Starbucks to 
how you access your own personal health information.
  If we allowed a two-tier system to develop, the big guys would have 
the ability to pay more while the smaller customers would have 
disruptions. What we have done, hopefully with an announcement today, 
is to make sure we are putting a stake in the ground to protect 
consumers.
  The CEO of the Washington Technology Industry Association put it best 
when he said:

       We have a multi-trillion dollar evidence base study that 
     says the current rules of the game--which mean open, neutral 
     access to the Internet--work.

  I couldn't agree more.
  Our innovation economy depends on equal access for all ideas. The 
proof is in the numbers. Over 6 million U.S. jobs are tied to the 
Internet. That adds up to a payroll of $558 billion. In the Seattle 
metropolitan area alone, from 2009 to 2014, there were 433 different 
venture capital deals related to Internet companies, totaling nearly 
$2.6 billion.
  All of this growth in the Internet economy relies on an open 
Internet. That means no blocking, no throttling of these priorities. 
That is why I support strong net neutrality rules. They need to be 
responsible and efficient.
  I thank Chairman Wheeler for his leadership in setting up strong 
rules. I hope this information on the Web continues to be one of our 
great economic engines and continues job development here in the United 
States.
  A strong net neutrality rule is the best tool in the toolbox for 
preserving the openness of the Internet today. It will go a long way to 
help us continue our economic prosperity.
  I thank the Presiding Officer, and I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Flake). The Senator from Georgia.

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