February 7, 2022

Rhode Island House Innovation, Internet, & Technology Committee
Rhode Island State Capitol
82 Smith Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02903

Dear Representative,

On behalf of the 4,845 members and supporters of the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste in Rhode Island, I urge you to oppose H 7187, which would impose unnecessary net neutrality requirements on internet service providers and edge providers.

While state governments often seek to impose regulations where the federal government has been unclear or unwilling, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates the internet.  In 2005, the agency adopted four principles to help internet service providers and their customers navigate the internet without the imposition of hardline restrictions. 

Unfortunately, these principles were disregarded in 2015, when the FCC attempted to impose stringent title II common carrier regulations on the internet that for a brief period harmed investments and delayed deployment to areas where access to the internet was lacking.  With the adoption of the Restoring Internet Freedom Order on December 14, 2017, the FCC restored the internet’s classification as an information service, following the intentions of the 1996 Telecommunications Act.  This light-handed approach has allowed the internet to develop freely and become one of the greatest economic and social innovations in history. 

With respect to H 7187, internet service providers already voluntarily meet or exceed the requirements this legislation seeks to impose.  As a result, the net-neutrality requirements that would be imposed by H 7187 in Rhode Island are unnecessary.  The internet also crosses state borders, and no state should establish its own rules for this critical ecosystem.

Once again, I urge you to vote against H 7187.

Sincerely,
Tom Schatz
President, CCAGW

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