Tell your House Rep: Sign the discharge petition on the CRA to save net neutrality! & Senate votes to save net neutrality rules 11JUN&16MAI18

AFTER the Senate Democrats with 3 Republicans forced a vote and passed a CRA to restore net neutrality the CRA in the House is being pushed for a vote. Please sign the petition organized by Demand Progress and a plethora of allied organizations telling your representative to sign the discharge petition to bring the CRA to the House floor for a vote and then to vote for it and send the repeal to NOT MY pres drumpf/trump to sign and so restore net neutrality.

The House of Representatives has the opportunity to save net neutrality — or let it die. Tell the House: Sign the CRA discharge petition! SIGN THE PETITION

It's Monday, June 11: the day the FCC's repeal of net neutrality takes effect.

You may not notice any changes immediately. We don't know exactly when or how AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast will start throttling speeds and creating fast and slow lanes on the internet.

But we know it's coming. And that's why we need to force the House to save net neutrality.

Thanks to your activism, a bipartisan majority of senators voted to overturn the FCC and save net neutrality.

Now the fight is in the House, where we are gaining more support for the CRA resolution by the day. But we still need dozens more reps to sign a discharge petition to force a floor vote.

There's not a moment to lose. Every day the American people go without protections for a free and open internet will be one too many.

Tell your member of Congress: Sign the discharge petition for the CRA resolution to restore net neutrality!

The pundits and Big Cable lobbyists said we could never win the CRA resolution in the Senate, but we did.

We flooded the Senate with millions of calls and emails from constituents -- and we got all 49 members of the Democratic caucus, along with three Republicans, to pass the CRA. It’s going to be an uphill climb, but if we make sure our representatives hear us loud and clear, we can win in the House too.

86% of Americans oppose the repeal of net neutrality, including a huge majority of Republicans. With multiple Senate Republicans voting to overturn the FCC, we have a strong shot of winning the House if we get the support of all Democrats and about two dozen Republicans.

We proved the pundits wrong once, and will prove them wrong again. But we need to raise our voices and make sure every representative knows you expect them to stand on the side of Team Internet, and not Team Cable.

Tell the House: Sign the discharge petition and bring the CRA resolution to the floor for a vote today!

For the free and open internet,

Carli Stevenson
Campaigner
Demand Progress

Senate votes to save net neutrality rules

BY HARPER NEIDIG - 05/16/18 03:47 PM EDT

The Senate on Wednesday voted to reinstate the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) net neutrality rules, passing a bill that has little chance of advancing in the House but offers net neutrality supporters and Democrats a political rallying point for the midterm elections.

Democrats were able to force Wednesday’s vote using an obscure legislative tool known as the Congressional Review Act (CRA). CRA bills allow Congress, with a majority vote in each chamber and the president's signature, to overturn recent agency moves.

Three Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and John Kennedy (La.) — joined the 49 Senate Democrats to pass the bill 52-47.

They argue that without the net neutrality regulations, which require internet service providers to treat all web traffic equally, companies such as Verizon and Comcast will be free to discriminate against certain content or boost their partner websites.

And despite the odds against the bill, Democrats see tremendous upside in the potential to use it as a campaign issue.

"A key question for anyone on the campaign trail in 2018 will now be, 'Do you support net neutrality?' " Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who introduced the bill, said in a press conference after the vote.

Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai blasted Democrats for their "scare tactics" and said that his proposal is meant to correct the FCC's regulatory overreach during the Obama administration.

“It’s disappointing that Senate Democrats forced this resolution through by a narrow margin," Pai said in a statement. "But ultimately, I'm confident that their effort to reinstate heavy-handed government regulation of the internet will fail.”

The bill will have a much harder time in the House, where Democrats would need 25 Republicans to cross the aisle and join a discharge petition in order to bring it up for a vote.

Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) said he would be releasing a discharge petition on the bill on Thursday morning.

For their part, most Republicans argue that the net neutrality rules are unnecessary and onerous for broadband providers. The GOP has been urging Democrats to come to the negotiating table to work out a legislative replacement to the FCC rules, a move that is also backed by the broadband industry.

"I’m disappointed but not surprised that Democrats rejected my offer to write, consider, and amend legislation in a process open to ideas from both sides of the aisle," Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said in a statement. "Despite this vote, I remain committed to finding a path to bipartisan protections for the internet and stand ready to work with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle when they are ready as well.”

But net neutrality supporters reject the idea that a Republican-controlled Congress could come up with protections as strong as the FCC rules. Legislation offered by GOP members leaves open the possibility that internet providers could create “fast lanes” by charging websites for faster speeds.

At a press conference Wednesday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) joined Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) in calling on Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to bring the bill to the House floor — and rank-and-file Republicans to back it.

"We consider this one of the major issues of the 2018 campaign," Schumer told reporters.

Polls consistently show public support for net neutrality, with one from before the FCC’s repeal vote reporting that more than 80 percent of respondents — including 75 percent of Republicans and 89 percent of Democrats — wanted to see the rules stay on the books.

The FCC voted 3-2 along party lines in December to repeal its Obama-era Open Internet Order, a move the GOP hailed as a rollback of regulatory overreach.

"Following today’s vote, Americans will still be able to access the websites they want to visit. They will still be able to enjoy the services they want to enjoy," Pai said last year. "There will still be cops on the beat guarding a free and open internet. This is the way things were prior to 2015, and this is the way they will be once again."

Democrats on and off the panel have decried the action ever since.

"As a result of today’s misguided action, our broadband providers will get extraordinary new power from this agency," Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said at the time. "They will have the power to block websites, throttle services and censor online content. They will have the right to discriminate and favor the internet traffic of those companies with whom they have pay-for-play arrangements and the right to consign all others to a slow and bumpy road.”

Democrats and net neutrality supporters are also trying to fight the FCC’s repeal order in court, though the legal battle is likely to drag on for months.

Updated at 4:58 p.m

Net Neutrality: BREAKING: The FCC’s repeal of net neutrality has just been published in the Federal Register.27FEB18

NOW that FCC Chairman ajit pai's repeal of net neutrality has been published in the Federal Register we have 60 days to convince the US Senate to reject the repeal and restore net neutrality. If you have not e mailed your senators telling them to vote to restore net neutrality please click the link below to do so. 

BREAKING: The FCC’s repeal of net neutrality has just been published in the Federal Register. We need you to act today and tell your senators to block the repeal. Ajit Pai’s order to hand control of the Internet to Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T has officially been published. Now the clock starts running on the 60 legislative day deadline for the Senate to vote on a resolution to overturn the FCC’s decision and restore net neutrality. Today we are flooding the Senate with emails and calls to get the #OneMoreVote we need to win. Will you join us? The day of action is called Operation: #OneMoreVote because the Internet has never had a clearer mission. The Congressional "resolution of disapproval" allows our elected officials in Congress to overturn the FCC’s disastrous repeal of net neutrality with a simple majority vote. (Already signed? Please share this petition on Facebook and ask your friends and family to join you.) We already have 50 votes confirmed in the Senate, and we know there are a number of others who are still on the fence but are considering doing the right thing. A massive burst of pressure from constituents right after the FCC rules enter the Federal Register is exactly what we need to push those undecided senators over the edge and get them to vote to restore net neutrality. Tell Congress to block the FCC’s repeal of net neutrality. Net neutrality is too important to give up now. We refuse to back down and we have a real shot of winning if everyone goes hard today. After you sign, please ask your friends and family to sign too. Thanks for all that you do,Salma, Reem, Toni and the team at SumOfUs

CONGRESS CAN OVERTURN THE FCC DECISION ON NET NEUTRALITY &The FCC’s vote repealing its net neutrality rules is finally official. Here’s what happens now. 25&22FEB18

THIS from SumOfUs, one of 22 organizations working together to overturn the FCC decision ending net neutrality. Click the link to sign the petition to Congress telling them to restore net neutrality.

CONGRESS MUST STOP THE FCC'S PLAN TO DESTROY NET NEUTRALITY

You’ve probably heard that Trump’s FCC voted to dismantle net neutrality rules, effectively handing the internet on a silver platter to Big Cable. But what you may not know is that Congress has the power to overturn the FCC’s decision and save net neutrality.  Alongside dozens of partner organizations and millions of concerned consumers like you, we’ve got huge momentum to preserve the open internet we know and love. This weekend, the 50th U.S. senator announced their support of a “resolution of disapproval” to overturn the FCC’s move: putting us just one vote away from passing the resolution in the Senate.  Help save the free and open internet: tell Congress to vote to overturn the FCC's repeal of net neutrality. For years, Verizon, Comcast, and the rest of Big Cable have been plotting a corporate takeover of the world wide web. Now, Trump’s FCC has given them what they want: the power to create internet “fast lanes” that prioritize, block, or censor content online. We’ve fought this battle before—and won—like when over one million Americans came together to successfully push the FCC to restore federal protections for net neutrality in 2014. And we still have the mass support to fend off the latest attack on the open internet: 75% of Republicans and 83% of the country overall want to keep net neutrality rules. Sen. Ed Markey’s repeal resolution already has the support of all 49 members of the Democratic caucus and one Republican. But with Big Cable campaign contributions raining down on Congress, we’ll have to fight like hell to make sure Congress stands with internet users like us, not the world wide web’s most powerful corporations. Tell Congress: don't hand control of the internet to Comcast and Verizon. Cosponsor the resolution restoring net neutrality!  SIGN THE PETITION  Thanks for all that you do, Salma, Reem, and the team at SumOfUs More information: The Senate’s push to overrule the FCC on net neutrality now has 50 votes, Democrats say, Washington Post, January 15, 2018.

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SumOfUs is a community of people from around the world committed to curbing the growing power of corporations. We want to buy from, work for and invest in companies that respect the environment, treat their workers well and respect democracy. And we’re not afraid to stand up to them when they don’t.

The FCC’s vote repealing its net neutrality rules is finally official. Here’s what happens now.
By Brian Fung February 22 Email the author

The FCC's net neutrality vote has finally been published in the Federal Register, the government's official record of all administrative actions. The moment is key, because it kicks off the next phase of the fight over the future of the Internet. Here's what to expect.

In December, the Federal Communications Commission voted to repeal its net neutrality rules for Internet providers — a move aimed at deregulate the industry and allow companies such as AT&T and Verizon to legally slow down websites, block apps and even charge content companies extra fees for priority access to consumers' screens. (None of this has occurred so far; not only must the substance of the new rules take effect, but many Internet providers say they aren't interested in blocking or slowing websites, while critics of the industry have said it would be too obvious to try that type of behavior right out of the gate.)

[This crafty tactic may let states get around the FCC on net neutrality]

Until now, opponents of the FCC vote have talked a big game about taking the agency to court, in hopes of overturning the decision. They have also sought to build momentum for a congressional resolution to force the FCC to take back its vote and restore the old net neutrality rules.

Both initiatives needed to wait until the decision was published in the register before they could move forward. Now that it's officially out for review, that can happen. (To be clear, the publication in the Federal Register enables Congress and the public to take action, but the substance of the new rules won't go into effect until the FCC takes care of some additional paperwork.)

This is what comes next: First, Senate lawmakers who supported net neutrality rules now have 60 legislative days to find one Republican who's willing to break ranks with his or her party and support the resolution under the Congressional Review Act, or CRA. They already have 50 votes, including all Democratic senators and one Republican, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. But they need 51 votes to pass the measure.

Sixty legislative days is not the same as 60 calendar days, due to the way Congress's work schedule operates. But it's nevertheless a relatively short window in which lawmakers may seek to block the FCC. The resolution faces long odds; analysts say it's unlikely to come to a vote in the House and that even if it somehow passed that chamber, President Trump is almost certain not to sign it. Still, critics of the FCC say, the measure would force lawmakers to pick a side, during a campaign year, on an issue on which Americans are generally united.

“The FCC and Chairman [Ajit] Pai just triggered a timeline that will culminate in a Senate vote on my resolution, and we cannot let up until we win,” said Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who is leading the CRA effort.

Meanwhile, those seeking to challenge the FCC in court will now be filing their lawsuits. Many of them are likely to come within the next 10 days, said Harold Feld, senior vice president of the consumer advocacy group Public Knowledge. “All petitions filed in the first 10 days are considered to be filed simultaneously,” he said. Indeed, on Thursday a number of groups filed petitions challenging the FCC, including Public Knowledge, the California Public Utilities Commission, and a group of 22 state attorneys general led by New York.

There's a reason for the rush: The next few days will be critical for determining which federal appeals court actually hears the case against the FCC. In these situations, the venue is selected by a lottery, and the output of the lottery is determined by which courts have received a lawsuit on the issue. Among the courts already in the mix are the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

There's an element of strategy involved here. Some courts are considered friendlier to industry; others not. So both sides of the net neutrality issue — even those who supported the FCC's December vote — have an incentive to ask for court review. Those who opposed the FCC vote will file their lawsuits in courts where they believe they have a good shot at winning. The same goes for those on the other side of the issue. Then the lottery will decide which court hears the case.

So that's what's on deck for the next few weeks as the net neutrality fight heats up again.

Correction: A previous version of this story suggested that the FCC's new net neutrality policy will go into effect on April 23. In fact, that date remains uncertain as additional paperwork must be completed before an effective date can be set.

Brian Fung covers technology for The Washington Post, focusing on telecommunications, Internet access and the shifting media economy. Before joining The Post, he was the technology correspondent for National Journal and an associate editor at the Atlantic.

  Follow @b_fung

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Oppose Trump FCC’s plan to destroy net neutrality and the open internet 14NOV17

WE keep having to fight this battle to protect Net Neutrality (this is the second call to arms on Net Neutrality this year), to maintain open access to the internet for all. I signed this petition and then took the time to call my rep barbara comstock r VA and my senators Sen Mark Warner D VA and Sen Tim Kaine D VA telling them I expect them to contact FCC chairman ajit pai and tell him to keep the Title Two Net Neutrality rules in place, to keep the internet open to all on an equal basis. 

Verizon, Comcast, and the rest of Big Cable have long been plotting a corporate takeover of the world wide web. Now, Trump’s FCC wants to hand it to them on a silver platter by dismantling net neutrality. Net neutrality principles stop corporate internet service providers like Comcast from prioritizing, blocking, or censoring content online. That means all legal content online is treated the same -- not just content from sites able to pay to be in Comcast’s or Verizon’s “fast lanes”. We’ve fought this battle before, and won. In 2014, over one million Americans, including thousands of SumOfUs members like you, came together to call on the FCC to restore federal protections for net neutrality. We know the masses support a free and open internet. But it’s up to us to come together and make sure Congress hears our voices over the lobbying dollars of Big Cable. Sign the petition to tell Congress: stop the Trump FCC's plan to destroy net neutrality. Under the leadership of Ajit Pai -- a former Verizon executive hand-picked by Trump -- the FCC is expected to announce a vote on a plan to end net neutrality as soon as November 22. We can’t let Pai hand his friends at Verizon the power to slow down and block websites, or charge sites extra fees to reach an audience. While Big Cable pads its profits with added charges and fees, small content creators, online campaigners, and communities of color especially would be hit hard. We need net neutrality now more than ever to confront the challenges of the Trump administration. Our ability to document police violence, defend workers’ rights, and protect the planet all depend on it. Will you defend the tools our movements rely on and call on Congress to publicly oppose Pai’s plan to destroy net neutrality? Join the chorus of voices demanding Congress stand up to Big Cable and defend net neutrality.  SIGN THE PETITION  Thanks for all that you do, Reem, Mark, Maggie and the team at SumOfUs More information: Comcast asks the FCC to prohibit states from enforcing net neutrality, Ars Technica, November 3 2017.   If Pai gets his way and ends net neutrality, Big Cable companies like his old employer Verizon, as well as Comcast and AT&T, will be able to slow down and block websites, or charge sites extra fees to reach an audience — fees that will get passed directly to people like you. Big Cable will be able to curtail free and open expression on the internet. This will affect online campaigning, especially among communities of color, who also rely on online media to share their stories. MORE INFORMATION The U.S. public overwhelmingly supports net neutrality, regardless of political affiliations. Now, we’re hearing that key lawmakers are considering taking action to slow Pai down — but they need to hear more from constituents to push them to act. That’s where you come in. If we flood Congress with petitions and calls, there’s a chance we can still stop Trump’s hand-picked FCC Chair Ajit Pai and Big Cable before November 22. Will you sign the petition and call Congress to let your lawmakers know you want them to publicly oppose Pai’s plan to destroy net neutrality? Without net neutrality, the Internet will look more like cable TV — where the content we see is controlled by corporations like Comcast and Verizon. We can’t afford to see the internet—a place where the exchange of ideas, democratic participation and the ability to organize has flourished—turn into cable TV.

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