FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2014
CONTACT Brian Pacheco, NHMC bpacheco@www.nhmc.org (213) 718-0732
WASHINGTON -- Yesterday, in a letter to the FCC, 13 senators called on the Commission "to protect the openness of the Internet for future generations" and urged FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler to reclassify "the transmission component of broadband Internet access as a telecommunications service." Led by Sen. Edward J. Markey, the letter was signed by Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Cory Booker, Barbara Boxer, Benjamin Cardin, Al Franken, Kirsten Gillibrand, Jeff Merkley, Bernie Sanders, Charles Schumer, Sheldon Whitehouse, Elizabeth Warren and Ron Wyden. To read the full letter, visit: http://1.usa.gov/1l4Qa88. The senators join a growing chorus of members of Congress standing for strong and enforceable network neutrality rules that protect against blocking and discrimination online. In May, 36 members of the House of Representatives, led by Congressmen Grijalva and Ellison, wrote to FCC leadership urging the FCC to reclassify ISPs as common carriers and base new Open Internet rules on the FCC's Title II authority. "I applaud the senators for their leadership for taking on this important issue," said Alex Nogales, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition. "The senators join millions of Americans in making it clear that reclassifying Internet Service Providers as common carriers is the only way to ensure that the Internet remains a level playing field for all. Absent reclassification, the Internet itself will be subject to the profit-driven whims of the large corporations that control the pipes, and success will be limited to those who can afford to pay their tolls."
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About NHMC
The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) is a media advocacy and civil rights organization for the advancement of Latinos, working towards a media that is fair and inclusive of Latinos, and towards universal, affordable, and open access to communications. Learn more at www.nhmc.org. Receive real-time updates on Facebook and Twitter @NHMC.
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