U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt joined U.S. Senators John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in pushing back against the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) proposal to reinstate Obama-era broadband regulations.
In a letter to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, the senators warned that reviving these burdensome regulations would devastate the free market, leading to fewer choices and slower speeds for broadband customers.
“Our country faces real challenges,” the Senators wrote. “A lack of public-utility regulations for the internet is not one of them. Instead, the FCC and the Biden administration should be focusing on bipartisan efforts to address real problems, such as addressing rampant waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government’s broadband subsidy programs, and regulatory and permitting obstacles to broadband deployment, both of which divert funds and resources from the goal of connecting unserved Americans.”
Net neutrality rules were passed under former President Barack Obama and then rescinded under former President Donald Trump. They could return under a new push by FCC chair Rosenworcel. The rules would reclassify broadband access as an essential service on par with other utilities like water or power.
“For everyone, everywhere, to enjoy the full benefits of the internet age, internet access should be more than just accessible and affordable,” Rosenworcel said at an event at the National Press Club. “The internet needs to be open.”
The proposed rules would return fixed and mobile broadband service to its status as an essential telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications Act. It would also prohibit Internet service providers from blocking or throttling lawful Internet traffic and from selling “fast lanes” that prioritize some traffic over others in exchange for payment.
The move comes after Democrats took majority control of the five-member FCC on Monday for the first time since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021 when new FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez was sworn in.
Rosenworcel said the FCC will vote in October to take public comment on the proposed rules.
Net neutrality is the principle that internet providers treat all web traffic equally. Telecom companies say the rules can undermine investment in broadband and introduce uncertainty about acceptable business practices. Telecommunications companies argue that they should be able to control the pipes they built and own.
Tuberville serves on the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (AG) Committee. Tuberville has championed expanding broadband access for rural and agricultural communities. He has made that one of his 2023 Farm Bill priorities because he understands the importance of reliable internet access for successful farming operations.
Tuberville is the Ranking Member of the AG Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy. His first hearing as a Ranking Member focused on expanding broadband access for rural areas, with discussions revolving around streamlining the application and permitting process, service speeds, broadband deployment infrastructure, and prioritizing internet access to rural communities.
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