Businesses Applaud Representative Coffman’s Actions to Preserve Net Neutrality

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Coffman (R– CO) introduced the 21stCentury Internet Act, which would restore the main principles of net neutrality. Additionally, Rep. Coffman has signed the House of Representatives’ Net Neutrality Congressional Review Act (CRA) discharge petition, making him the first Republican to do so. In response, the American Sustainable Business Council released the following statement, which may be attributed to John B. Minor, Policy Manager:

“ASBC and its members support strong net neutrality principles because maintaining a free and open internet is essential for innovation, economic empowerment, and business growth. We applaud Rep. Coffman’s actions today because they represent an important step towards reinstating net neutrality protections for all. An open internet is an inclusive internet, and net neutrality protects all American businesses by ensuring a fair playing field for new ideas to develop and for all businesses to compete and grow.”

The Coffman bill includes the key elements of net neutrality – no blocking, no throttling, no paid prioritization – and would create a new title under Federal Communications Act specifically for broadband. On May 16, 2018, the U.S. Senate passed the CRA on a bipartisan basis. ASBC and its members hope that Rep. Coffman’s actions today will lead to a similar outcome in the House.

ASBC has co-sponsored business sign-on statement supporting net neutrality with Main Street Alliance and Small Business Majority. ASBC has also published, “The Business Case for Net Neutrality,” which outlines the potential threats facing businesses of all sizes and industries without net neutrality protections