April 26, 2006: Rep. Eshoo Pledges to Fight for “Net Neutrality” on the House Floor
[Press Release]

Rep. Eshoo's Amendment to "Save the Internet" Defeated in Committee

Congresswoman Pledges to Fight for "Net Neutrality" on the House Floor

Washington, DC -- The House Energy and Commerce Committee today voted 22 to 34 to reject the "Net Neutrality" amendment offered by Representatives Anna G. Eshoo (D-Palo Alto), Ed Markey (D-MA), Rick Boucher (D-VA), and Jay Inslee (D-WA).  The amendment to the Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act would ensure equal access to the fastest and most reliable level of broadband for all content providers and would prevent Cable and Bell companies from creating obstacles that keep consumers from accessing the services and content they want.   

"The Bells and Cable have said publicly that they want to turn the Information Superhighway into their own toll road," said Eshoo.  "Their plan will raise consumer costs, as well as limit access and innovation."

"The growth of the Internet-based economy over the last decade has occrued because of open-access.  It has driven the remarkable innovation we've seen from companies such as Yahoo!, Google, and others.  Today, the Bells and Cable are virtually the only providers of broadband access to consumers.  If Congress now allows this duopoly to effectively control what consumers see on the Internet, we will cut off the next generation of Internet trailblazers from consumers and the marketplace. 

"We're going to take this fight to the House floor.  If consumers want to continue to have open access to the Internet, they need to continue to tell Members of Congress to fix this serious problem when the bill is considered by the full House." 

For more information about "Net Neutrality," including an online petition, see Rep. Eshoo's website at http://eshoo.house.gov/.