Net Neutrality, one Senator’s view (or not)

Here’s a response I received this mornign from one of my senators regarding Net Neutrality.

August 7, 2006

Mr. Michael Sauers
1185 Florence St
Aurora, Colorado 80010-3226

Dear Michael:

Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns in regards to government regulation of the Internet. I appreciate you taking the time to write on such an important issue.

The Internet has been one of the leading technological advances of this generation. The network created between computers has reached into every part of our culture and changed the way we live, work, travel, shop, and socialize. The Internet is also one of the greatest examples of the ingenuity that has made the United States a perennial leader in technological advancement that is improving the quality of our lives and those around the world.

On May 1, 2006, Senator Stevens introduced the Communications, Consumer’s Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006 that was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation for further consideration. The major provisions of the measure deal with a wide range of topics, including universal service reform; streamlining of the video franchising process; requiring the FCC to report annually to Congress on the net neutrality issue; interoperability of public safety communications systems; interconnection; and municipal broadband ownership. The bill also contains a number of provisions relating to broadcast issues such as the digital television transition and provisions relating to protecting children from child pornography.

Additionally, Representative Joe Barton introduced the Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006 (H.R.5252) that was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on June 8, 2006. Among other things, H.R.5252 contains provisions that establish a national cable franchising process; clarify the FCC’s authority to enforce its network neutrality principles; address voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) 911 interconnection and E911 requirements; and bar states from prohibiting municipalities from providing their own broadband networks.

As a United States Senator, I believe I should help ensure that policies are in place to foster timely deployment of broadband to all sectors and geographical locations of American society. The current debate in the U.S. Congress and across the nation is concentrated on whether additional laws and regulations are needed to ensure the development of competition and its subsequent consumer benefits (often referred to as “net neutrality”), or conversely, whether more laws and regulations would be overly burdensome and discourage investment and deployment of such services. Congress should be careful in approving legislation without first examining its ramifications on economic growth, innovation, and market competition.

Please be assured that I will continue to work with my colleagues to help solve many of the challenges facing the American society in the age of continuing technological advances. I look forward to further debate should this legislation reach the Senate floor.

Thank you for writing to share your concerns. I look forward to hearing from you again. If you would like more information on issues important to Colorado and the nation, please log on to my website at http://allard.senate.gov.

Sincerely,
A
Wayne Allard
United States Senator

WA:SK

After reading this I’m still not sure what his stance is…