March 18, 2015 Yesterday, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation held it’s first public opportunity to directly question the Commission about its Open Internet Order. All the statements can be found below. U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission.
Majority Statement
Chairman John Thune’s statement included a tongue lashing to Chairman Wheeler, Commissioner Rosenworcel and Commissioner Clyburn. “The FCC’s recent action accomplished the exact opposite. Rather than exercising regulatory humility, the three majority commissioners chose to take the most radical, polarizing, and partisan path possible. Instead of working with me and my colleagues in the House and Senate on a bipartisan basis, to find a consensus, the three of you chose an option that I believe will only increase political, regulatory, and legal uncertainty, which will ultimately hurt average Internet users. Simply put, your actions jeopardize the open Internet that we are all seeking to protect.”
While Ranking Member Bill Nelson’s statement reminded everyone that “While those legal means are important – in fact, they are the statutory tools Congress gave the FCC to perform its job – we must not lose sight of the results of this rulemaking in terms of the protections the FCC adopted.” Both Chairman Thune and Ranking Member Nelson spoke about the “bipartisan” action currently underway by Congress. Panel: The Honorable Mignon ClyburnCommissioner Federal Communications Commission The Honorable Michael O’RiellyCommissioner Federal Communications Commission The Honorable Ajit Pai Commissioner Federal Communications Commission The Honorable Jessica Rosenworcel Commissioner Federal Communications Commission The Honorable Tom Wheeler Chairman Federal Communications Commission