Press Release
Walden Dislikes Rules, Seeks to Starve the Referees
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
Representative Greg Walden (R-Ore.) intends to attach an amendment to the “continuing resolution” in the House that would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from using any funds to implement the Net Neutrality rules it passed last December. In a speech today before the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, Walden also said he and his Republican colleagues would seek to block the rules’ implementation through a Resolution of Disapproval under the Congressional Review Act.
The following statement was issued by Free Press Action Fund Political Adviser Joel Kelsey:
“This attack on Net Neutrality is a dangerous overreach that tries to hijack the budget process to punish independent regulators for making rules that big telecoms like Verizon and Comcast don’t like.
“The FCC must have the power to protect free speech online and intervene when broadband providers harm users by blocking or degrading websites and applications just because they don’t like the content or because they want to undermine their competition. If Congress wants to make policy, it has the authority to pass new laws. Resorting to maneuvers like trying to hide its actions in a giant budget bill is gamesmanship, not statesmanship.
"Congressman Walden seems to misunderstand the role of an independent regulator. The FCC is empowered to pass and enforce rules to protect the public interest – and the commissioners are supposed to be referees for industry, not cheerleaders. Walden and his colleagues may not like the rules, but the way to change them is through public deliberation of their merits and going through the legislative process, not a back-door attack in a crucial budget vote."
The following statement was issued by Free Press Action Fund Political Adviser Joel Kelsey:
“This attack on Net Neutrality is a dangerous overreach that tries to hijack the budget process to punish independent regulators for making rules that big telecoms like Verizon and Comcast don’t like.
“The FCC must have the power to protect free speech online and intervene when broadband providers harm users by blocking or degrading websites and applications just because they don’t like the content or because they want to undermine their competition. If Congress wants to make policy, it has the authority to pass new laws. Resorting to maneuvers like trying to hide its actions in a giant budget bill is gamesmanship, not statesmanship.
"Congressman Walden seems to misunderstand the role of an independent regulator. The FCC is empowered to pass and enforce rules to protect the public interest – and the commissioners are supposed to be referees for industry, not cheerleaders. Walden and his colleagues may not like the rules, but the way to change them is through public deliberation of their merits and going through the legislative process, not a back-door attack in a crucial budget vote."
