12.10.19

Cantwell, Colleagues Demand a Vote on Save the Internet Act

House of Representatives passed net neutrality legislation in April, but Leader McConnell refuses to bring bill up for a vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, took to the Senate floor to push for Senate passage of the Save the Internet Act and urge the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to restore net neutrality rules. 

“It is long past time for the Senate to vote on Save the Internet Act,” Cantwell said. “Our bill would restore the protections for a free and open internet by the Obama administration’s FCC in 2015, which would say no blocking, throttling, or paid prioritization would be allowed.” 

In 2018, Ranking Member Cantwell led colleagues from both the House and Senate to challenge the FCC’s decision to eliminate net neutrality rules. In March of this year, Cantwell joined Democrats from the House and Senate to introduce the Save the Internet Act. She also recently took to the Senate floor to demand the restoration of net neutrality for a free and open internet. It has been 244 days since the House of Representatives passed net neutrality legislation. 

“In an information age, you have to give consumers rights. You have to give them the right to privacy and you have to give them the right to a free and open internet,” Cantwell said. “This is going to be a key communication tool for the 21st century, and it needs to be open. So I thank my colleague for raising this important issue, and I continue to work with him and our other colleagues to make it the law of the land.”  

Video of Senator Cantwell’s floor speech is available HERE. 

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