FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 08, 2006

CONTACT: Brendan Daly/Jennifer Crider 202-226-7616

Pelosi: ‘Net Neutrality Will Allow the Innovative Tradition of the Internet to Continue’

Washington, D.C. – House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement tonight in support of an amendment offered by Congressman Ed Markey of Massachusetts on Net Neutrality that would ensure that all consumers have equal access to the internet:

“When Lewis and Clark made their historic journey of discovery two centuries ago, information could only travel at the speed of the fastest horse. Now information travels in an instant.  And just as railroads and highways did in the past, broadband has dramatically increased the productivity and efficiency of our economy and will continue to do so in the future.  It has created jobs today, and will create even more jobs tomorrow. 

“Last fall, House Democrats introduced our Innovation Agenda: A Commitment to Competitiveness to Keep America Number One.  In that Agenda, we have called for affordable broadband access for every American within five years.  The reason we want to bring broadband to everyone is because that key infrastructure brings the Internet to everyone.  In turn, the Internet brings us the world - a world of information, communications, and commerce. The Internet brings us the future.

“Since its inception, the Internet has been characterized by its openness – its freedom.  That freedom has enabled innovation to flourish.  Magnificent disrupters like Jerry Yang of Yahoo! and Larry Page and Sergey Brin from Google built businesses based on big ideas, bringing spectacular new innovations and services to billions of users.

“About a year ago, the FCC and the Courts changed the way the Internet is regulated.  Due to that change, there could the equivalent of new taxes on electronic commerce.  Telecommunications and cable companies are now able to create toll lanes on the information superhighway, essentially permitting new, discriminatory fees – a new broadband bottleneck tax – on Web-based businesses to reach consumers.

“This strikes at the heart of the free and equal nature of the Internet and would fundamentally change the way the Internet currently works.  America’s small businesses and entrepreneurs could be left in the slow lane with inferior Internet service, unable to compete with the big corporations that can pay Internet providers toll charges to be in the fast lane.  Bloggers, our citizen journalists, could be silenced by skyrocketing coststo post and share video and audio clips.

“The Markey Amendment would prevent those toll lanes.  It would allow the innovative tradition of the Internet to continue by enacting protections that ensure all consumers are able to access any content they wish with the same broadband speed and performance.  The Markey Amendment would preserve the equality, openness, and innovation of the Internet that has defined it since its first days.”

“ Democrats are united in presenting a New Direction for America, one that will make our nation as strong as its people, one that brings opportunity, security, and prosperity to all Americans. ”

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi