Lofgren, Boucher Introduce Bill Protecting Net Neutrality

Media Contact: Kyra Jennings, 202.225.3072, kyra.jennings@mail.house.gov

Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Rick Boucher (D-VA) joined with House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-WI) and Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) today in introducing HR 5417, the “Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act of 2006.” This bipartisan measure would ensure competitive and nondiscriminatory access to the Internet.

“Our net neutrality legislation protects the communications freedom and innovation created by the Internet, instead of allowing the equivalent of an Internet toll road.” said Rep. Lofgren. “The Internet has revolutionized the way Americans communicate with one another and do business. It's just common sense to keep that revolution where it belongs--in the hands of ordinary individuals instead of a handful of big corporations. Our bill will prevent an Information Superhighway Hijacking.”

“The Internet has flourished as an open medium where users can access any lawful content, applications and services, using any devices. The measure which we are introducing will assure that the status quo is preserved and that the market power broadband providers now exercise over transmission is not extended to control of content,” Rep. Boucher said. “This measure is particularly important and timely because H.R. 5252, the Energy and Commerce Committee video franchising measure, is insufficient to ensure that broadband network providers do not abuse their market power to discriminate against competitive Internet content or services. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the House Judiciary Committee to enact bipartisan legislation which will preserve the Internet as we know it.”

The “Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act” would amend the Clayton Act to prohibit broadband network providers from interfering with the ability of users to access the Internet content, applications and services of their choice or the ability of independent content, application and service providers to reach consumers with the same speed and quality of service as the network provider. It would also require network providers, if they prioritize or offer enhanced quality of service to a particular type of content, to prioritize or offer enhanced quality of service to all content of that type at no charge.