WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) issued the following statement regarding President Barack Obama’s plan to regulate the Internet by calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to use Title II of the Communications Act of 1934 to craft additional net neutrality regulations:

“The rapid expansion and evolution of broadband networks have been continuous drivers of growth and have added to the efficiencies and competitiveness of every sector of our nation’s economy. Today, unfortunately, President Obama chose to ignore the record of a successful bipartisan policy enacted by Congress and signed into law by former President Clinton.

“The president’s call for Internet regulation hurts innovation, hampers job growth, and is bad for consumers. Instead of circumventing Congress in favor of action by the executive branch, the president should listen to the American people who just spoke on November 4th and demanded that the Administration work with Congress to enact policies that will get our country back on track. It’s time for the president to call on Members of Congress to work together to ensure we have a 21st century telecommunications policy – not unelected bureaucrats at the FCC who will hold America back with policies that belong in the 19th century.”

Background:

In 1996, Congress intentionally separated information services, which include broadband, from heavily regulated services in order to spur private sector investment. Since then, this industry has invested roughly $1.3 trillion to expand broadband availability.

Today, President Obama has called on the Federal Communications Commission – an independent agency that answers to Congress and not the White House – to reclassify broadband as a public utility. The FCC previously tried this approach, and it was rejected by the Courts.

In May 2014, Blunt joined his fellow Senate Republican Leaders and sent a letter to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler saying, “Rather than attempting further legal contortions to encumber modern communications networks with last century’s rules, the Commission should work with the Congress to develop clear statutory authority and direction for the agency so that it can be a productive regulator for the 21st century marketplace.”