Net neutrality goes away on June 11

The FCC announced that it will officially remove net neutrality protection from its responsibilities on June 11. The announcement comes months after the Republican majority FCC eliminated bright-line rules to ensure fair Internet access to all users – and weeks before Democrats will try to save them.

“The FCC is on the wrong side of history, the wrong side of the law, and the wrong side of the American people,” said Commissioner Rosenworcel. “It deserves to have its handiwork revisited, reexamined, and ultimately reversed. I raised my voice to fight for internet freedom. I’ll keep raising a ruckus to support net neutrality and I hope others will too.”

Senate Democrats have a plan to save net neutrality. They’re supporting a Congressional Review Act (CRA) vote to reverse the FCC’s vote to eliminate the rules. All 49 Democratic senators and one Republican have pledged to support the CRA vote. They need one more to pass it and save the rules. They have until June 12.

"The CRA resolution would fully restore the rules that ensure Americans aren't subject to higher prices, slower Internet traffic, and even blocked websites because the big Internet service providers want to pump up their profits," said Senator Ed Markey (D-MA). "By passing this resolution, we can send a clear message that this Congress won't fall to the special interest agenda of President Trump and his broadband baron allies but will rather do right by the people who sent us here."

The Communications Workers of America supports three bright-line, common sense rules – no blocking, no throttling, and no favorable treatment of some websites and applications over others – to protect a free and open Internet. CWA supports a CRA resolution as a first step toward federal legislation.

Links:

Restoring Internet Freedom (Federal Register, May 11, 2018)

Statement of Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel on Tomorrow’s Federal Register Publication of the End of Net Neutrality (FCC, May 10, 2018)

Senate will vote to kill or keep net neutrality rules by June 12 (Ars Technica, May 9, 2018)

CWA: FCC vote will damage free and open Internet (Speed Matters, Dec. 14, 2017)