Media Contacts:
Matthew Berry, (202) 418-2005
matthew.berry@fcc.gov
Robin Colwell, (202) 418-2013
robin.colwell@fcc.gov
For Immediate Release
STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONERS AJIT PAI AND MICHAEL O’RIELLY
On Protecting Small Businesses from Needless Regulation
WASHINGTON, December 16, 2016.—Last night, the small business exemption from the Title II Net 
Neutrality Order’s expanded reporting requirements expired. We worked hard to reach a consensus with 
our Democratic colleagues that would have prevented the exemption from lapsing.  Unfortunately, those 
efforts did not bear fruit and now thousands of our nation’s smallest and most competitive Internet service 
providers are worried that they will be subject to unnecessary, onerous, and ill-defined reporting 
obligations.  This was a lost opportunity for the Commission to do the right thing.  It also ignores the 
strong bipartisan support from the House of Representatives, the Senate Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation, and the Obama Administration’s own Small Business Administration.  We 
note the exceptional leadership of Senator Daines, Senator Manchin, and Chairman Walden on this 
matter.
We appreciate the willingness of two of our colleagues to negotiate in good faith on a 
compromise.  We remain committed to protecting small businesses and their customers from the higher 
costs and disproportionate impact that would accompany the implementation of these requirements, and 
we remain hopeful that a consensus exemption can still be achieved at the Commission in the months 
ahead in addition to reviewing the application of the overall burdens themselves.
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Office of Commissioner Ajit Pai: (202) 418-2000
Twitter: @AjitPaiFCC
www.fcc.gov/leadership/ajit-pai
Office of Commissioner Mike O’Rielly: (202) 418-2300
Twitter: @MikeOFCC
www.fcc.gov/leadership/michael-orielly
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official 
action.  See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).