August 11, 2010
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20554
GN Docket No. 09-191, Preserving the Open Internet
Dear Chairman Genachowski and Members of the Commission,
We the undersigned, representing millions of American citizens, write in strong opposition to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) effort to regulate the Internet.
Over the past 25 years, the Internet has flourished in large part due to the extremely limited role that government has played. In less than a decade, the private sector has expanded broadband Internet access to over 95 percent of American households. Since 2004, the price to access the Internet has dropped by 23 percent, while during the same period overall consumer prices have trended upward.
Despite universal acknowledgement that Americans enjoy a free, open, and vibrant Internet, the FCC is relentlessly pursuing a massive regulatory regime that would stifle broadband expansion, create congestion, slow Internet speeds, jeopardize job retention and growth, and lead to higher prices for consumers.
We oppose the FCC’s effort to regulate the Internet under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934, which was written during the depression era to regulate telephone monopolies – 60 years before the Internet was ever conceived. These proposed regulations would permit the FCC to dictate how the networks that serve as the backbone of the Internet are managed, thereby removing incentives for further investment and opening the door for price setting or future regulatory action. It could also remove the ability for parents and ISPs to prevent inappropriate material from entering the home. This regulatory “reclassification” would effectively turn innovative private Internet services into a public utility.
Earlier this year, a U.S. Court of Appeals found that the Commission was attempting to “shatter” the bounds of its legal authority by trying to enact Net Neutrality regulations without Congressional authority. We view this renewed effort by the FCC to reclassify the Internet under Title II as even more unfounded and onerous.
By pursuing Title II reclassification, the Commission is turning its back on years of precedent set by multiple U.S. Congresses, presidential administrations, the FCC’s own rulings, and the U.S. Supreme Court, which all found that the Internet should remain unregulated. Even more disconcerting, the Commission’s actions show complete disdain for strong bipartisan opposition voiced by a vast majority in Congress and the American people.
Placing the nation’s 21st century communications system under a pre-World War II law is the wrong approach to continuing broadband Internet expansion and adoption. The Internet has never been a regulated utility and we urge you to keep it that way by rejecting so-called “Net Neutrality” regulations on the Internet and the proposed Title II reclassification.
Organizations
Jim Martin Chairman 60 Plus Association
Dr. Carl Herbster President AdvanceUSA
Susan A. Carleson Chairman/CEO American Civil Rights Union
David A. Keene Chairman The American Conservative Union
Steve Pociask President American Consumer Institute
William Wilson President Americans for Limited Government
Tim Phillips President Americans for Prosperity
Tom Jenney State Director Arizona – Americans for Prosperity
Teresa Crossland-Oelke State Director Arkansas – Americans for Prosperity
Grover Norquist President Americans for Tax Reform
John Palatiello President Business Coalition for Fair Competition (BCFC)
Shaun Fink Executive Vice President Caesar Rodney Institute
David Spady State Director California – Americans for Prosperity
John Tate President Campaign for Liberty
Terrence Scanlon President Capital Research Center
Judy Hoelscher Founder Cave Creek Patriots
Tim Lee Vice President of Legal Affairs Center for Individual Freedom
Chuck Muth President Citizen Outreach
Thomas Schatz President Citizens Against Government Waste
Jeff Crank State Director Colorado – Americans for Prosperity
Jerry Cantrell President Common Sense Institute of New Jersey
Clyde Wayne Crews Jr. Vice President for Policy, Director of Technology Studies Competitive Enterprise Institute
Morton C. Blackwell Chairman Conservative Leadership PAC
Bob Windsor Founder Cottonwood TEA Party, Arizona
Kelly William Cobb Executive Director Digital Liberty Project
Phyllis Schlafly President and Founder Eagle Forum
Michael Quinn Sullivan President Empower Texans
John McClaughry President Ethan Allen Institute
Tom McClusky Sr. Vice President Family Research Council Action
Apryl Marie Fogel State Director Florida – Americans for Prosperity
Rick Watson Chairman Florida Center-Right Coalition
Jeff Cohen Board of Directors Fountain Hills Tea Party
Myron Ebell President Freedom Action
George Landrith President Frontiers of Freedom
Virginia Galloway State Director Georgia – Americans for Prosperity
Steve Elliott President Grassfire Nation
Jamie Story President Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Mario H. Lopez President Hispanic Leadership Fund
Joe Calomino State Director Illinois – Americans for Prosperity
Andrew Langer President Institute for Liberty
Bartlett Cleland Director, Center for Technology Freedom Institute for Policy Innovation
Tammy Kobza President Iowa Eagle Forum
M. Kevin McLaughlin
President & Director
Iowans for Discounted Taxes
Brett Healy President The John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy
Derrick Sontag State Director Kansas – Americans for Prosperity
Dave Trabert President Kansas Policy Institute
Seton Motley Editor in Chief, StopNetRegulation.org President, Less Government
Bob Barr, Chairman Joe Seehusen, President and CEO Liberty Guard
Dr. Melissa Clouthier Owner & Writer LibertyPundits.com
R. Clarke Cooper Executive Director Log Cabin Republicans
Trevor Bragdon State Director Maine – Americans for Prosperity
Mary Adams Chair Maine Center-Right Coalition
Tarren Bragdon CEO Maine Heritage Policy Center
David Schwartz State Director Maryland – Americans for Prosperity
Richard W. C. Falknor Chairman Maryland Center-Right Coalition
Dee Hodges Chairman Maryland Taxpayers Association
Scott Hagerstrom State Director Michigan – Americans for Prosperity
Forest Thigpen President Mississippi Center for Public Policy
Duane Parde President National Taxpayers Union
Brad Stevens State Director Nebraska – Americans for Prosperity
Scott Cleland Chairman NetCompetition.org
Adam Stryker State Director Nevada – Americans for Prosperity
Corey Lewandowski State Director New Hampshire – Americans for Prosperity
Steve Lonegan State Director New Jersey – Americans for Prosperity
Phil Kerpen Director NoInternetTakeover.com
Dallas Woodhouse State Director North Carolina – Americans for Prosperity
Wesley W. Harris Founder The North Phoenix Tea Party, Arizona
Rebecca Heimlich State Director Ohio – Americans for Prosperity
Chris Littleton President Ohio Liberty Council
Jack Boyle Executive Director Ohio Prosperity Initiative
Stuart Jolly State Director Oklahoma – Americans for Prosperity
Brandon Dutcher Vice President for Policy Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs
Jeff Kropf State Director Oregon – Americans for Prosperity
Grant Maloy Co-Chairman Orlando Center-Right Coalition
Erling “Skip” Salvesen III, Managing Director Matthew Balazik, Managing Director PaCAN – Pennsylvania Commercial Action Network
James Stergios Executive Director Pioneer Institute
Kelsey Zahourek Executive Director Property Rights Alliance
Warner Todd Huston Owner and Founder PubliusForum.com
Charlie Gerow Chair, Quantum Policy Briefing CEO, Quantum Communications
Adrian Moore Vice President Reason Foundation
Chip Hanlon President RedCounty.com
Stephen Stone, President Wes Vernon, Columnist RenewAmerica.com
Paul Gessing President Rio Grande Foundation
Bruce Larsen Chairman Santa Fe Center-Right Coalition, New Mexico
Sam Slom President Small Business Hawaii
Jason Williams Founder Taxpayer Association of Oregon
Honey Marques President/CEO Tea Party Patriots of Scottsdale, Arizona
Lisa Miller Founder Tea Party WDC
Ben Cunningham President Tennessee Tax Revolt, Inc.
Peggy Venable State Director Texas – Americans for Prosperity
C. Preston Noell III President Tradition, Family, Property, Inc.
Andrea Lafferty Executive Director Traditional Values Coalition
Dale von Breichenruchardt President U.S. Bill of Rights Foundation
Ben Marchi State Director Virginia – Americans for Prosperity
Jamie Radtke Chairwoman The Virginia Tea Party Patriots Federation
Mark Tapscott Editorial Page Editor The Washington Examiner
Kirby Wilbur State Director Washington State – Americans for Prosperity
Carl Gipson Director, Technology, and Telecommunications Policy Washington Policy Center
Tom Steele
Founder and Coordinator
We the People of Prescott Valley, Arizona
Mark T. Wellman President Webster Atlantic Corporation
Ralph Benko Author TheWebstersDictionary.com
Mark Block State Director Wisconsin – Americans for Prosperity
Linda Hansen Senior Vice-President, Executive Director Wisconsin Prosperity Network
Susan Gore Founder Wyoming Liberty Group
Jordan Marks Executive Director Young Americans for Freedom (YAF)
State Legislators
Sen. Jack Harper Arizona State Senate
Rep. John Wood Florida House of Representatives
Sen. Chip Rogers, Majority Leader Georgia Senate
Sen. Sam Slom Hawaii Senate
Rep. Eric Koch Indiana House of Representatives
Rep. Dwayne Alons Iowa House of Representatives
Sen. James Hahn Iowa Senate
Rep. Joe McLeland Kansas House of Representatives
Rep. Jim DeCesare Kentucky House of Representatives
Rep. Joseph M. Fischer Kentucky House of Representatives
Rep. Mike Harmon Kentucky House of Representatives
Sen. Tom Buford Kentucky Senate
Delegate Steven R. Schuh Maryland House of Delegates
Rep. Gary V. Staples Mississippi House of Representatives
Sen. Ed Emery Missouri Senate
Rep. Tim Jones Missouri House of Representatives
Rep. Mike Miller Montana House of Representatives
Hon. David Bates New Hampshire House of Representatives
Rep. Gary Daniels New Hampshire House of Representatives
Rep. George G. Cleveland North Carolina House of Representatives
Rep. Jim Kasper North Dakota House of Representatives
Rep. John Adams, House Minority Whip Ohio House of Representatives
Rep. Sally Kern Oklahoma House of Representatives
Rep. Ronald G. Peters Oklahoma House of Representatives
Rep. John E. Huffman Oregon House of Representatives
Rep. Kim Tatcher Oregon House of Representatives
Rep. Matt Wingard Oregon House of Representatives
Rep. Curtis Oda Utah House of Representatives
Rep. Stephen Sandstrom Utah House of Representatives
Rep. Carl Wimmer Utah House of Representatives
Rep. Ed Orcutt Washington House of Representatives
Delegate Jonathan Miller West Virginia House of Delegates
Sen. Alberta Darling Wisconsin Senate
Sen. Mary Lazich Wisconsin Senate
Rep. Peter S. Illoway Wyoming House of Representatives
Rep. Sue Wallis Wyoming House of Representatives