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May 14, 2014
The Honorable Thomas Wheeler
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554
Dear Chairman Wheeler,
As you develop a proposal to oversee access to the Internet, we urge you to adopt strong
and enforceable open Internet rules that proactively protect Internet users from unfair
practices, including the blockage of lawful traffic or discrimination among content
providers by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). The rules must preserve the Internet as the
open platform that it is today by recognizing our nation’s communications providers as
common carriers. Without strong protections, the Internet could devolve into a closed
platform in which those who pay the most can overwhelm other views and ideas.
We agree with your previous statements and those from President Obama that expressed
similar concerns. ISPs will continue to explore ways to boost revenue by imposing
discriminatory charges that will decrease the openness of the Internet. There is ample
evidence that protecting the open Internet against such threats is critical for users and
businesses alike. However, reports indicate that the current FCC proposal creates an
Internet fast lane that would prioritize some Internet traffic and allow ISPs to discriminate
against everyone else. The FCC cannot protect the open Internet by allowing
discrimination.
We urge the FCC to use its clear authority under Title II of the Communications Act to
reclassify the transmission component of broadband Internet access as a
telecommunications service. Recognizing our nation’s communications providers as
common carriers under the law is common sense. Reclassification would also complement
the Commission’s efforts to promote innovation, competition and investment in universally
available, reliable and affordable broadband infrastructure.
Over one million people have already gone on the record in support of reclassification. We
urge the FCC to consider this support for strong, enforceable open Internet rules as it
moves forward with the rulemaking process.
Sincerely,
PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
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Keith Ellison Rau . Grija1va~r
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CC: Mignon Clyburn, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission
Jessica Rosenworcel, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission
Ajit Pai, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission
Michael O’Reilly, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission