Event Summary
The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) vote to reclassify wired and wireless Internet services as a public utility under Title II of the Communications Act is among the most controversial issues ever to come out of the commission. Many experts have questioned the wisdom of the decision and whether the new rules will withstand legal scrutiny.
At an AEI event on Monday, US Representative Greg Walden (R-OR), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, discussed the implications of the FCC’s net neutrality vote and his plans for his subcommittee moving forward. Rep. Walden said the Internet is the biggest economic engine of our lifetime and called the vote to regulate the Internet like a decades-old monopoly a “step backward” for Internet policy. He emphasized that he is firmly committed to a bipartisan, legislative solution to the issue and said that he will continue to work on legislation that would prevent FCC overreach while giving the commission clear legal authority to protect consumers from harmful conduct by Internet service providers.
Rep. Walden also summarized his plans for an update to the Communications Act, saying that the FCC’s operations must be improved and brought up-to-date through a return to periodic congressional reauthorization.
–Matt Au
Event Description
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is moving to reclassify wired and wireless Internet services as a public utility under Title II of the Communications Act. The vote, expected to occur on February 26, is among the most controversial issues ever to come before the commission, and many experts have questioned the wisdom of the decision and whether the new rules will withstand legal scrutiny. Members of Congress have indicated that they intend to introduce legislation that would prevent FCC overreach while giving the commission clear legal authority to protect consumers from harmful conduct by Internet service providers.
Please join us at AEI as Representative Greg Walden (R-OR), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, discusses the implications of the FCC’s net neutrality vote.