Press Release

New America's Open Technology Institute became one of the first parties to challenge the Federal Communications Commission’s harmful order repealing the net neutrality rules by filing a protective petition for review in the DC Circuit. OTI filed the protective petition in an abundance of caution to ensure that, if a lottery is held determining the proper venue for the case at this stage, the DC Circuit is included in the selection process. 

The following statement can be attributed to Sarah Morris, Director of Open Internet Policy at the Open Technology Institute:

Public Knowledge filed a protective petition in the Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit to urge the court to review the Federal Communications Commission’s rollback of net neutrality rules. 

The following statement can be attributed to John Bergmayer, Senior Counsel at Public Knowledge:

House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) announced a series of bills introduced by subcommittee members aimed at reducing the regulatory barriers to broadband infrastructure expansion:

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman led a coalition of 22 Attorneys General in filing a multistate lawsuit to block the Federal Communications Commission’s illegal rollback of net neutrality.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai shared with his fellow commissioners an order to promote more high-speed broadband deployment in rural areas. If adopted, it would provide over $500 million in additional funding for cooperatives and small rural carriers. The order would also put in place strong new rules to prevent abuse of the high-cost program.

Rep Mike Doyle (D-PA) announced the names of the Members of Congress who have asked to cosponsor his legislation to reject the Federal Communications Commission’s order to end the Open Internet and eliminate Net Neutrality. “We’ve made good progress so far in getting Members to sign on as original cosponsors of our bill to restore Net Neutrality, and I will continue to seek additional cosponsors in the weeks ahead,” Congressman Doyle said in releasing the list of names. “There’s overwhelming public support for preserving Net Neutrality, so it’s no surprise that there’s strong support in Con

On Oct 30, 2017, Rep John Ratcliffe (R-TX) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to take action to address the budget shortfall in certain parts of the High-Cost Universal Service Fund (USF).

House Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), Communications Subcommittee Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH), and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Gregg Harper (R-MS) sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook expressing concern over recent reports that Apple throttles processor performance for older iPhone models.

The House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, chaired by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), introduced a series of resolutions laying out principles for broadband infrastructure:

In response to the massive outcry from people like you, we have a last-ditch effort for real, robust surveillance reform. But this won’t happen unless we continue to make a lot of noise. On Jan 11, the House will vote to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Unfortunately, the underlying bill is terrible and would actually work to expand government surveillance.