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MoveOn Applauds Chairman Wheeler’s Open Internet Comments

Statement from Anna Galland, executive director of MoveOn.org Civic Action, on news that FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler will propose Net Neutrality rules that regulate broadband service providers as public utilities:

“The chair of the FCC, Tom Wheeler, announced today that he is close to proposing rules that will protect the open Internet from big cable companies that want to limit access, including Comcast and Verizon. This proposal is excellent news and a true testament to both the people power of the millions of ordinary Americans who raised their voices in opposition to cable company lobbyists as well as to President Obama’s leadership in fighting to keep the Internet open.

“Americans from all walks of life and from all over the country—everyday Internet users, mom and pop business owners, artists and major tech industry leaders—have repeatedly stood in support of treating the Internet as a public utility and preserving its equal use for future generations.

“We look forward to reviewing the details of the proposed open Internet rules when they become public, and we are hopeful that they will not include loopholes that might undermine their effectiveness.”

Over the last year, MoveOn members and allies have held demonstrations across the country, urging President Obama to stand up to the big cable giants like Comcast and stand with the open Internet voters who helped elect him to office twice.

MoveOn members and allies have phoned the White House, urging the Obama administration to advocate for Net Neutrality—and President Obama took a major step to defend the open Internet in November when he called for Title II reclassification, which would treat the Internet as a public utility.

Americans have submitted more than 3.7 million pro-Net Neutrality comments to the FCC this year in response to its previous draft proposal that would have undermined Net Neutrality.