Washington, D.C., April 8, 2011 -

U.S. Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA-09), member of the House Appropriations Committee and original cosponsor of H.J. Res. 37, a resolution to nullify the Federal Communications Commission’s rule on regulating the Internet and broadband industry practices, issued the following statement after the bill passed the U.S. House today:

“As I’ve said before, according to business owners in my district, the number one roadblock to job growth and economic expansion are the many burdensome regulations imposed by government.  One of the most onerous regulatory threats is the FCC’s net neutrality rule, which proposes to put unelected government bureaucrats in control of regulating Internet traffic. 

“The FCC’s bid to take over the Internet is a regulation in search of a problem.  They have no proof of abuse in the marketplace, and no justification for imposing these regulations.  Rather than keep the Internet open and free, these regulations would build a government-issue cage in which our great frontier of technology would be contained.  With all the unbridled success of the Internet—the jobs, innovation, technology, start-up companies, accidental billionaires—big government just can’t resist.  

“So, today the House exercised its oversight authority of the FCC’s rulemaking process, and voted to block the agency from further threatening the job growth and technological advancements that define the Internet we know today.”

BACKGROUND:
Rep. Graves is an original cosponsor of H.J. Res. 37, and also sponsored an amendment to H.R. 1 to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from using any funding to implement net neutrality regulations.

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