Sens. Cruz, Thune, Colleagues Urge USDA to Reverse Decision to Include So-Called “Net Neutrality” Commitments in ReConnect Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and John Thune (R-S.D.), members of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today sent a letter with several of their Republican colleagues to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack urging the agency to avoid imposing any unnecessary “net neutrality” restrictions on broadband providers, which would threaten future investments in broadband infrastructure. Co-signers of the letter include Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Dan Sullivan (R-Ala.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).
In the letter, the senators wrote:
“It is deeply troubling that USDA is suggesting it has the authority much less the qualified staff and expertise to make determinations about ‘lawful Internet traffic.’ If USDA decides to make attempts at regulating the Internet absent authority from Congress, it would lead to tremendous legal and marketplace uncertainty.
“Rather than attempting to impose monopoly-era regulations on broadband providers and politicizing the ReConnect program, we strongly urge you to reverse your decision to provide additional scoring points based on USDA’s determination of what constitutes ‘net neutrality.’”
Read the full text of the letter here and below.
The Honorable Tom Vilsack Secretary
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Avenue, Southwest
Washington, D.C. 20250
Dear Secretary Vilsack,
We write today regarding our concerns with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural eConnecvity Pilot Program’s (ReConnect) scoring criteria, which includes so-called “net neutrality” commitments.
The buildout of broadband infrastructure, including to some of the most remote and rural areas of this country, has transformed our nation’s economy and provided new opportunities for many Americans. The investment in broadband infrastructure by both small and large providers remains at an all-time high due to the light-touch regulatory approach taken by the federal government.
As you know, “net neutrality” restrictions have been subject to much debate in Congress and at the Federal Communications Commission, the agency that oversees our nation’s telecommunications policy. Any effort to impose unnecessary “net neutrality” restrictions would be dangerous to our nation’s dynamic broadband economy and threaten future investments in broadband infrastructure.
Further, it is deeply troubling that USDA is suggesting it has the authority much less the qualified staff and expertise to make determinations about “lawful Internet traffic.” If USDA decides to make attempts at regulating the Internet absent authority from Congress, it would lead to tremendous legal and marketplace uncertainty.
Rather than attempting to impose monopoly-era regulations on broadband providers and politicizing the ReConnect program, we strongly urge you to reverse your decision to provide additional scoring points based on USDA’s determination of what constitutes “net neutrality.”
Sincerely,
/s/
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