illnngr.ess nf t}f.e 1itnit.e~ §tat.es ma.s11i11gfon, ilQr 20515 The Honorable Tom Wheeler Chairman Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St. SW Washington, DC 20554 Dear Chairman Wheeler: December.18, 2014 The open Internet serves as the backbone of our economy and a critical artery for free speech. We must act now to protect the world's most open platform for commerce and communications. Nearly a year has passed since the D.C. Circuit Court invalidated the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) previous net neutrality rules and found that the agency erred by constructing those rules on faulty legal grounds. Since then, we have heard from millions of constituents, companies and entrepreneurs about the need for the Commission to use its authority to prevent broadband providers from engaging in discriminatory practices. More than four million Americans have written to the FCC and have made their voices clear: no Internet fast and slow lanes. Many of us have previously written to you and urged the Commission to put the strongest possible rules on the books in order to ensure the health and vitality of the Internet for future generations. We caLled on the FCC to prohibit paid prioritization that would harm our economic growth by leaving start-ups and small businesses to suffer in Internet slow lanes. We believe the way to achieve a free and open Internet is to reclassify broadband as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act, with appropriate forbearance. As you know, President Obama recently joined us in urging this action. Everyone has spoken; now is the time for action. We urge you to act without delay to finalize rules that keep the Internet free and open for business. Thank you for your continued consideration and your work on this issue. Sincerely, ~ ~ ~·- --j ~'I!:JIEd,c!!w!::...::ar .=d ..::..:::J ::...;,;_M--ar~ke--y --=%~·!....,_~~~~~ ( aG Esho~~ 2~ U.S. Senator U.S. Representative PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER 1314 The Honorable Tom Wheeler December 18,2014 Page 2 of4 ~AI(il~rank.=...!t!en ~~~~~~-~QW~ U.S. Senator U.S. Representative Ron Wyden U.S. Senator Bernard Sanders U.S. Senator U.S. Representative Brrba!aie U.S. Representative The Honorable Tom Wheeler December 18,2014 Page3 of4 8J re)~ Barbara Boxer U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley U.S. Senator ~~~~ U.S. Representative U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer U.S. Representative Michael E. Capuano U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree U.S. Representative Tim Ryan U.S. Representative The Honorable Tom Wheeler December 18, 20 14 Page 4 of4 Schakowsky .S. Representative U.S. Representative John P. Sarbanes U.S. Representative Louise M. Slaughter U.S. Representative s~~ U.S. Representative U.S. Representative