Washington, D.C. – The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today submitted the following written testimony regarding net neutrality to a hearing of the Maryland House of Delegates Committee on Economic Matters:

It is important that the Internet be kept free of regulation.  For this reason, I ask that the House of Delegates oppose House Bill 1069.  The market for high-speed Internet services should be open to competition without government interference.  It is unwise for state legislators to implement burdensome regulations that will stifle growth and innovation in the State of Maryland.  If adopted, the legislation will invite a hodgepodge of state regulations that will interfere with interstate commerce.

Consumers should be able to access the content of their choice, run any application, attach any devices that don’t harm the network, and receive information on the terms/conditions of their Internet access services.  These self-governing measures that Internet service providers have taken have allowed both innovation and investment to flourish.  The burden of premature regulation could discourage the advancement of high-speed net services and the Internet.

Consumers have more Internet choices than ever before.  Cable, satellite and wireless broadband providers are competing head-to-head for customers.  As these companies and other participants start to create new innovative services, it would be a technological setback to cut off the momentum of this market with regulatory restrictions in the name of “net neutrality.”  Advocates of “net neutrality” are asking you to pass legislation that would impede on the evolution of the Internet and the innovation it encourages.  This kind of aggressive law-making would violate the principles of both the free market and common sense.

Maryland legislators should encourage, not discourage, competition.  Stepping in now could adversely affect taxpayers and consumers by stifling the development of the vibrant high-speed Internet services Maryland and America need to keep our economy growing and our nation competitive.

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.