Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09) submitted a formal request to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai, asking to address the full Commission at tomorrow’s open meeting. While outside entities have previously been given the opportunity to speak at these meetings – which are open to the public – Chairman Pai has disregarded this precedent and denied the Congressman’s request. Congressman McNerney said:
Let’s talk about the end of net neutrality in terms of a hellscape everyone knows: airport security lines. Imagine Verizon and Comcast are running the security lines—and websites and services are the ones trying to get through. With net neutrality, all those sites pass through at the same speed. But of course, airport security these days is all about a pecking order. There’s regular security and there’s the faster “TSA Pre” line.
Technically, Congress can take no action preventing the Federal Communications Commission from voting on Dec 14. Instead, it can only ask the agency to postpone or cancel the vote, and then try to pass a law governing Internet access.
Michael Powell, president of NCTA – The Internet & Television Association; Meredith Attwell Baker, president of CTIA; and Jonathan Spalter, president, USTelecom, all members of the Broadband for America coalition, pledged, once again, not to block or throttle content.
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