A trade group representing internet giants including Google and Facebook is throwing its support behind a bill that would reverse the repeal of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) net neutrality rules.
The Internet Association (IA) on Thursday sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellSenators introduce bipartisan infrastructure bill in rare Sunday session Manchin 'can't imagine' supporting change to filibuster for voting rights Biden's bipartisan deal faces Senate gauntlet MORE (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerManchin on reported boos at Democratic luncheon: 'I heard a lot of nos' Wisconsin GOP quietly prepares Ron Johnson backup plans Senate infrastructure talks spill over into rare Sunday session MORE (D-N.Y.) arguing that the FCC rules should be reinstated.
“Strong net neutrality rules are necessitated by, among other factors, the lack of competition in the broadband service market,” Michael Beckerman, the group’s CEO, wrote. “More than half of all Americans have no choice in their provider, and 87 percent of rural Americans have no choice.”
IA said while they support the legislation, they are also calling on lawmakers to codify the net neutrality rules into law with a bipartisan bill.
Some net neutrality supporters oppose any attempts at legislation out of fear that it would fall short of the Obama-era FCC protections, while Republicans and many in the private sector argue that it would help avoid the uncertainty brought by the back-and-forth at the FCC.
“The time has come for a bipartisan effort to establish permanent net neutrality rules for consumers, startups, established internet businesses, and internet service providers,” Beckerman wrote.