Lofgren Praises Judiciary Committee Passage of Net Neutrality Bill

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

Today the House Judiciary Committee voted to send H.R. 5417, the “Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act of 2006” to the full House of Representatives for debate. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) joined with House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-WI) Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Rick Boucher (D-VA) to introduce this bipartisan legislation last week. The bill would ensure nondiscriminatory access to the Internet for all users.

“I am pleased that my colleagues on the House Judiciary Committee showed their commitment to protecting Internet freedom with today’s vote. H.R. 5417 protects net neutrality and protects the level playing field created by Internet technology. I hope all Members of Congress will protect net neutrality and reject an Information Superhighway hijacking when this bill comes to the floor,” said Rep. Lofgren.

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 or its business partners or licensees. 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 on a nondiscriminatory basis.