hearing from the Great Democratic leader on this issue, Mike Doyle in the House of Representatives and leaders on both sides of the capital who will be speaking on this issue but this movement for a free and open Internet would be nothing without the amazing dynamic. unstoppable organizations assembled here today the Center for. Technology the Center for Media Justice Color of Change Common Cause Consumers Union Demand Progress Engine fight for the future Free Press The National Hispanic Media Coalition The Open Technology Institute Public knowledge. I also wanna thank FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, Evan Greer of Fight for the Future and Steven Re Dios of the National Hispanic Media Coalition who will be address. A little bit later, ladies and gentlemen. The clock is ticking last Thursday when the Federal Communications Commission published its final rule, repealing the open Internet order. They triggered a timeline that will culminate in a historic vote on the Senate floor on our Congressional Review Act resolution all 40. Of the Senate Democratic Caucus have signed on and Republican Senator Susan Collins has joined us. That means we are just one vote away in the Senate from overturning the FCC's terrible decision on net neutrality. And today we are officially introducing the CRA resolution, which would reverse the FCC's actions and restore net neutrality. and when we take this vote on the Senate floor, one of my colleagues will have to answer this question. Who's side are you on? Do you stand with hardworking American families for whom the Internet is essential? do you stand with the big money? Corporate interests and their army of lobbyists do you stand with the teachers, students, innovators, medical professionals and small businesses, or do you stand with the big broadband barons. The choice is clear and everyone here knows the answer. We are on the right side of history and we cannot let up now the FCC should stand for. Of fighting for consumers and competition under Donald Trump, the FCC stands for forgetting consumers and competition and today we aren't just waiting a months long campaign. This is a revolution, and it's a revolution. who's time has come. It's a revolution of workers applying for a job online to help feed their families. It's a revolution of students in their. Inventing the next app, it's a revolution of innovators and entrepreneurs trying to get their idea into the marketplace. The Internet is for everybody. not just Verizon, chatter, ATandT and Comcast. So keep making noise Keep speaking out. We need just one more vote. President Trump and FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Mike want to end. As we know it, But Net neutrality is our 20 first century right and we will fight to protect it. so we thank everyone who is here and I turn now to to Mike Doyle to introduce great Democratic leader from the House. Thank you. Thank you. Ed. I wanna thank all of you for joining us today as we take the next step in our fight to preserve the open Internet and I'm proud to be here with my partner in this endeavor. Senator Ed Markey, who's been a tireless advocate for net neutrality and a fierce champion for consumers and competitions during this time in Congress. We are also thrilled to have the support of our great leader, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, who have been critical in getting us where we are today. It's also great to see. Other members from the House and Senate who support our efforts and have come out today to show their support today. I will be introducing legislation in the House of Representatives to save the open Internet and reverse course on the disastrous policy put in place by the Trump FCC, including myself. This legislation currently has the support of 150 members of Congress and that list is growing. The broad support you see for our efforts to restore net neutrality reflects the evolution of this issue, and it's important to the American people. 10 years ago. You'd be hard pressed to find a person who had heard about net neutrality. let alone understood it three years ago. Three point seven million people called on the FCC for rules that would protect and preserve the open Internet. Last year, the FCC received more than 20 million. Overwhelmingly calling for net neutrality to be preserved, you know today, The Internet isn't just a commodity or service that people take for granted. It's their lifeline to friends, Family work, entertainment education. It's a creative tool. It's a it's a platform for entrepreneurs and a global marketplace for ideas and innovation. It has the potential to alter the economic future of every single American. so whether you're tweeting your. Away are creating the next great innovation or just trying to get your homework done. you like all of us depend on an open Internet. Millions of Americans from across the political spectrum want to preserve net neutrality. They couldn't convince the FCC commissioners to do the right thing last year, but I believe their elected senators and representatives will be responsive if those millions of voters make their voices heard and promised. Opponents of net neutrality accountable for their actions, so I urge members on both sides of the aisle to listen to your constituents and to the entrepreneurs and to the innovators in their district, calling on them to support this legislation. it gives me great pleasure to introduce our great leader in the House of Representatives and someone that's been with us hand in hand in this battle for net neutrality, Nancy Pelosi. Thank you very much. Mike Doyle for your extraordinary leadership for democracy because that's what net neutrality is all about. We're very proud of the work of Senator Markie, which began in the House of Representatives on this subject in the telecommunications bill over here, we're now joined by the distinguished leader Mister leader I'm become known for my eight hour speeches, but we have such an array of talent here with House and Senate members. I may be the shortest Speaker here today. I just wanna say this thing I was with my. Family extended family recently and we were talking about one thing and another that's going on in our country and I turned to my Grand nephew and I said what do you think of all of this who's like 23 years old and he said my friends and I are interested in one thing Net neutrality. We see that as our future, we see that as our future, this is an issue that young people rally to us, the distinguished mister, Doyle said in 2015, and as she was very much a part of that I distinguished ranking member. Your Cologne as well to save net neutrality when the of the decision was made at the FCC and now we have to say it again. So I say to people out there know your power. It's in your hands to advance democracy to advance innovation to keep America number one to keep cost lower for consumers and mister Markie and mister Doyle have all said it all Well. I associate myself with their remarks. But it is again very much at stake our democracy. I'm proud of the work that has been done in the House for A hundred and 50 cosponsors. We want more and now it is my privilege to go to the distinguished leader in the United States Senate. I was that not sure I was here for sure. I mean it could have been longer. He's more more. He wants me to say good things about him. you know how great he is and that he has identified himself with this important force for democracy. Let us hear. There's this distinguished leader in the Senate Chuck Schumer. We have a good time together, Nancy and I usually at my expense anyway, I wanna Thank Eddie Markie my colleagues in the Senate leader Pelosi and Congressman Doyle and my colleagues in the House for being here and their leadership. I'm one of the most vital issues that affects America today and for many years on into the future. This is such an important debate at stake to Oppo. Views of the future of the Internet, one where the Internet remains free and open as it is always been and one We're big Internet service providers call the shots and everyone else has to pay more for the same service they get today. That's what's at stake. an Internet without net neutrality is a tale of two Internets where the best. It goes to the highest bidder and all the rest of us loses. We have an opportunity to save the Internet to literally save this wonderful thing the Internet with our CRA, which would reinstitute the net neutrality rules that keep the Internet just the way it is now we have all 49 Democrats on the bill every single one. And one good Republican Susan Collins. All we need is one more one more so I want my Republican colleagues to hear this. our CRA is the best way to undo the terrible decision to repeal net neutrality. If our Republican friends don't rise up and join us. Democrats will be making net neutrality a major issue in the 21 2018 elections and we will win. Democrats are fighting to save the free and open Internet Republicans are fighting to hand it over to the big corporations not surprising, but the American people need to hear it and we need all of you to let all of your friends and family know what's at stake here. Eat every time average Americans sit at home and wonder why they're Internet is going slow. They oughta know less Republicans sign on to our CRA. They're the ones to blame when a young. Is streaming their favorite Netflix show, but it keeps lagging who's to blame the American people will know Republicans are to blame while Democrats fought to fix it. I wish this wart part is an issue. I wish we had an equal number of Democrats and Republicans here, but the big interests are pushing them around. They are not gonna push us around cuz this is so important to the future of America. When it takes College students, two hours to watch a 15 minute video for class who's gonna be to blame again, the American people College students from one end of America to the other, we'll know it's the Republicans. Unfortunately to blame when Democrats in the Senate forced a roll call vote. Our Republican friends will have a chance to write the Trump administration's law. Will be called to account are you for a free and open Internet or are you for handling the controls to this big beautiful Internet to the Internet service providers are you for the big corporations or are you for the consumers? The American people will be able to see for themselves clear as day who really cares about this issue, who really has their back in the Congress on to victory. Important not to win Thank you. And now it is my honor to call on a great leader on this issue who has been well schooled in it for decades. He's not that old, but he has been well school Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon. Oh thank you. Thank you Shimmer and to be with you, Mister leader and Congressman Markey and leader Pelosi and everybody here who's been in the trenches. I feel like I'm Mike Doyle. I feel like I'm running with the right crowd and I'm gonna be brief here. Trump's FCC has gutted net neutrality because they are creating an information Eris theocracy where the typical. Person would have to pay rent to the powerful and unfortunate few. This is a road to digital and we are going to block it. We intend to keep fighting until real net neutrality is the law of the land. Real net neutrality means F. You pay your Internet access fee you get to go where you want when you want and how you want. It is the essence of a free and open Internet. It's not a world where the fortunate few gets special toll lanes where they can pay for their priorities. This is a basic question of who's side are you? Are you on the side of big cable and the most powerful lobbyists in America or are you on the side of seniors and students and small businesses. We made our choice years ago, Carson Markie and I were reminiscing. He put the first filling in in the House. I put the first Bell in the Senate. Everybody up here has been in the trenches. We want the American people to know we are in this fight. Until we ensure that those without lobbies and those without clout can ensure access to a free and open Internet Annette, that is there for innovation that there is a net that is there for freedom. That's what this is all about. We're gonna stay out until we win. Thanks everybody. And now. A very thoughtful member of the Fed, who also happens to be on the Senate, the Committee Senator Robert Menendez. Thank you Ron Cory Booker and I from New Jersey. You know a thing or two about traffic jams with the S C C's decision to scrap net neutrality. They're essentially telling the American people. it's time for some traffic problems on the Internet. We need an Internet that drives innovation, not one. We're big corporations get to decide who gets in the fast lane and who gets stuck far behind and Internet. We're small. And start ups. The little guys are in a level playing field with the big guys able to reach their customers without having to pay off some powerful Internet service providers just to keep up. I don't know a single family who thinks they're not paying enough for their Internet service, but make no mistake without net neutrality. Consumers will have to pay more to get online to shop online to study online to watch movies online and stay connected. Family and friends, a free and open Internet isn't a luxury in the 20 first century. It's a necessity for families for innovators for businesses of all sizes for our economy and for our future. All we need is one more vote to save the Internet and with your help and some profile encourage on the other side. We'll get one more vote to save the Internet and to help us do that. Let me introduce to you My. On the Judiciary Committee, Senator Dick Blumenthal Thank you, Bob Menendez and thank you. Corey Brooker. Unlike New Jersey, Connecticut has no traffic, but the rest of what I say This morning will be absolutely true. I'm proud to stand with my colleagues. I think it says something about Democrats in the Senate that we are absolutely United to the person behind. Freedom on the Internet, it is that simple and what we are going to do in the next 60 days is to awaken a sleeping giant. The American people who care about this issue are going to be outraged. They're going to Outcry to all of Congress and if they don't do it now they will do it in 2018. We will make this issue political. Because it deserves to be political, particularly among people who care most and that is the vast majority of Americans. it includes C, Click Fix small company in New Haven. They employ about 30 people. They're growing. this new rule will throttle and block and discriminate against entrepreneurs and small businesses like that one in Connecticut and all across the country it will discriminate against. And ordinary Americans who simply want a free and open Internet where they can connect and compete and let me be very blunt. The clock is ticking. We have a limited amount of time to get it done. That's what the rules are, and I will be proud to be fighting with Ed Markey, who has been a champion as I have been for the open Internet rule. Which was reversed by this FCC after extensive and lengthy fact, finding and rule making which this FCC has avoided doing this. FCC is breaking the law and if they fail to hit the law, we will take them to court. We will fight them in the House in the Senate in the courts in every venue that we. Because it is about American values and American freedom and I am. And I am proud to yield to my colleague from Massachusetts who has been such a great champion. Thank you. Thank you so much and just to show how by came this effort is we're gonna start to just alternate back and forth between the House and the Senate and Speaker Pelosi has noted this and in in cooperation with the leader Schumer, I'm now going to recognize the. Of the energy and Congress in the House welcome. Thank you so thank you I just wanna comment briefly on what I think is at stake here and my leader Nancy Pelosi talked about how this effort by the Republicans to kill a free and open Internet was undemocratic. I would say it's undemocratic. I would say it's seeks to stifle free speech. I would say that it's anti marketplace anti competition. I would say it's unamerican essentially and the reason. It is very simple if you allow providers to basically say that you're not gonna be able to access content certain content cuz we're gonna block it or we're gonna slow it down. then that means that we don't have a competition of ideas and certain ideologies will prevail and we really won't have free speech because we won't have different points of view being hurt. We'll just favor one particular ideology. if you say. that you can either block certain content or slow down certain content. What does that mean for competition? If you're a small business? will you be able to compete with a large multinational corporations? No. So what does that mean lack of competition? a free marketplace? capitalism. However, you want to describe it goes out the window another thing that's very much in American value and third innovation. the reason we've been successful in our economy and the global economy increasingly is because we are the country of innovation. I'll go back to New Jersey with Thomas Edison to my two senators. we stifle innovation and we are going to make it much more difficult for America to be strong and to be competitive in a global marketplace. and so I think that what we're standing for today and saying we're not gonna stand for this repeal of net neutrality. We're not gonna stand for killing a free and open. Is basically all about America's values and we as Democrats want to uphold those values that are so important to our country. It is it is way beyond just an issue of how much money or what the costs are gonna be. It's a values issue, which is why we're gonna fight and fight and fight against the Republican efforts to kill net neutrality right now now, I'm. Introduce my colleague from California and who has been a leader from day one particularly on the innovation issue and it's been so much behind the effort to achieve a free and open Internet and Thank you Frank Good afternoon everyone. I wanna thank all the public policy advocates that are standing around us with their signs because they have really been the conscience on this issue from day one So Bravo to all of you and thank you and to Ed Markey to all of my colleagues to leader Pelosi. it's an honor to be here with you. I just wanna. Three things number one today is the anniversary of three years ago. when the very rules that have been ripped away were established and look what happened in that period of time, no company, No Corporation lost a dime they invested the economy grew. It was all under that Internet order of 2015 number two. The values that are embedded in what we are speaking to today are long held American values and they really are values that are embedded in our Constitution, the freedom of speech and expression, the freedom of choice. These are American values and thirdly. I believe that today we have a majority of the FCC Commission that looks in the rear view mirror and thinks they see the future. Now. We know that the chairman was just given a long gun award or something from the National Rifle Association, But you know what our ammunition is the American people, the 25 million collectively that contacted the FCC and said we want our Internet. Free and open and accessible. We're gonna win this fight. You know why we're on the right side of history. So thank you everyone. Thank you next. We're gonna hear from the great senator from the state of Hampshire. Jeanie Jeanne. Thank you. Net neutrality is the key to a free and open Internet and by ending net neutrality, the Trump administration will put big telecom companies in the driver's seat. They will give fast lanes to websites that can pay and slow lanes to everyone else. This would rig the Internet against rural communities and small businesses like we have in New Hampshire and across America, where most people don't have the luxury of picking an alternative broadband provider many. Businesses will not be able to pay premiums for higher speeds or faster load times and they will create a disadvantage in the digital marketplace and we know that even one or two seconds and increased load times can put businesses at a tremendous disadvantage. So it's hard enough for small retailers to compete online with retail giants. We don't need big cable and phone companies teaming up with big retailers to discriminate. Businesses We need a level playing field for all retailers for all consumers, and this means preserving the protections of net neutrality. Now. I'm pleased that my neighbor from Vermont is here. Peter Welch. Thank you very much I my colleagues have said why we have why we need net neutrality. I mean like it's obvious but I want observation in two questions. The observation is Mike Doyle. Our sponsor has been accused of being distinguished. I will not do that, but I will say he is right. He is absolutely right but two questions one to the Internet Service Providers. Your claim is that if we get. Net neutrality they'll keep everything on the level everything cool. That's what they say well. if you wanna keep what we have, why not embed that in law, so we can trust but verify we want the legislation otherwise their shareholders are gonna be doing to us what they did to cable subscribers, no blocking just pay for it. No throttling just pay for it. priority access just pay for it. That's the deal The American. Know it with all the downsides and then the other question is to speak to Ryan Speaker Ryan has said he wants the House to work its will. We're ready Speaker Ryan Get a pulse. Do your job. Let us have a vote. You're against net neutrality fine. We're for net neutrality. Let's have a vote so you know where every single member of Congress in this country stands on your right to the open Internet access. Thank you. Great Senator Maria Cantwell from Washington state. It's it's great to be here with such a distinguished group of Senators and House members to fight for something is so important as the innovation economy. I know it could be as simple as someone placing an order online and going up to Starbucks and wanting to pick it up in an expeditious way that all of a sudden has slowed down, but it could be as something as important to as a physician at an emergency room, getting data about a patient. that's. That is also slowed down and threatening to that individual's life So artificially creating two classes of people when it comes to data is the wrong idea for our country to move forward. That's why so many people behind me have fought so hard for so long on issues of universal access and making sure that individuals all throughout the United States get equal access in an information. Information is the critical tool whether you're seeking an education, whether you're seeking an advantage in Commerce or whether you're just as I said, trying to provide decent health care. so our colleagues who have now decided that they are going to make for consumers and businesses information artificially more expensive is just dead wrong is this going to lead to a new Red lining of America areas of. United States where individual consumers and neighborhoods can't afford to pay for enough fast access and thereby cutting themselves off and what about the information economy. We're young entrepreneurs are creating the next device the next business, but they can't get off the ground because someone has made their connection slower and their data communication to their customer weaker than what their competitors is make no. Think about this is an economic empowerment issue and it's an issue that we hope that young students who are sitting in a dorm room trying to do their homework and wanna be able to connect online get up in arms over the cable companies that are making that artificially slower. We need their voices to rise here in the United States, Congress and say to their own members, their own members. whether they're Democrat or Republican, please make sure I'm not charged more for information in an information age. I have to be and please protect the Internet. Thank you. Jan Schakowsky from Illinois. Thank you. The FCC has clearly failed the American people when they voted to end net neutrality and chose to put their put their faith in the broadband providers over consumers of small business owners under chairman pie. His order says your Internet service provider can pick what content you get to access and how quickly it loads. I just wanna say I have never seen such an outpouring of consumer interests and believe me it is by partisan. It's certainly crosses generations. What is defined our culture? Our economy in this period is the Internet and the fact that they want to limit and set road blocks on the highway is is something that is gonna change our culture and this is the most revolutionary change that we have seen in the history and the recent history of America and how dare they ripped the promise that of Democrat. The Internet that was made to the American people and Americans are watching, but the Republican majority at the FCC chose big corporations over the public that they're supposed to serve the FCC broke the Internet and now it is up to Congress to fix it. They broke it. We have to fix it. so I joined my colleagues in the House of Representatives and calling on Paul Ryan. Let's have a vote on this and see if. Dare to cross Republicans and Democrats alike to continuing to break the Internet. Thank you. From Minnesota consumer champion Amy Goble Thank you and Markie. Thank you everyone on the most beautiful day. so I was up in Duluth, Minnesota a few days ago, where maybe it wasn't quite this warm and add a small business. What was the number one thing they were talking about? What do you think no curling curling. That is it is curling coyer because four of five of the members of the curling team and the winning curling team or from Minnesota, not to mention a of the women's hockey players. but. Second thing they were talking about was net neutrality and when you look at a city, the size of Duluth, a midsize city or you look at some of our small cities all over Minnesota as Senator Smith knows they need net neutrality. I remember years ago, someone actually put up a billboard outside of Duluth because they were losing so much business and it said last one out of Duluth turn the lights off. That's what they said what's happening now, thriving city low unemployment well. What they're able to compete with the big guys. A cutting board company called Epicurean is able to compete with the big guys Aim Claire that I visited with 24 young employees who are working in the Internet space. They're able to compete with California or New York. Why because they have the same access to the Internet. so this is about students. This is about citizens of this country, but it is also about small businesses and the heartland and rural parts of. That wanna compete on equal footing so from the heartland, we say the chairman pie. We want our piece of the pie. We Need Net Neutrality. Thank you very much. Well, Michigan Great Congressman Congressman Codie Alright. Thank you. Thank you and thanks to my colleagues for their leadership on this look. It's really clear what we're asking for. We're asking for one thing put this legislation on the floor of the House of Representatives and on the Senate. If we do, we know we know what the result will be. We've received thousands and thousands of messages from people all over the country all around my district 99 percent in support of this legislation, 99 percent folks are really. About this, Yeah, I was just back home in my in my hometown of Flint I met with a group of small entrepreneurs. This is a community that is really going to be dependent on those entrepreneurs being able to pursue their Dream to commercialize their great ideas and they are frightened to death that with this structure with this rule in place, the Trump FCC rule that their ability to let their great idea compete in the marketplace will be limited and limited by their competition. This is a. Where those large multi-national corporations with vast wealth, we'll be able to have a disproportionate share of access to consumers who are equally discriminated against by not being able to pursue products and services and information to serve their needs. The system is rigged against them. This cannot continue It''s non-democratic. We ought to fight it with every ounce of energy. We have and I'm glad to stand here with my colleagues to do just that. Thank you all. Much. When you think of being online, you think of Cory Booker from New Jersey, Thank you Everybody. Listen. This is a very simple issue when they come after net neutrality, they come after our freedom when they come after net neutrality, they come after Justice when they come after net neutrality, they're attacking the core ideals of our nation. Let me come after net neutrality. they're coming after our children when they come after net neutrality, they're coming after a rural places and urban spaces when they come after that. They're coming after innovation and entrepreneurialism and small businesses and so here they are this implacable Wall of powerful financial interests trying to come after that neutrality and we need to remember and understand that we have a nation that is Democratic and in a democracy. The power of the people is greater than the people in power and so now we have a choice. we can let them come after what is most dear and precious to us or we can stand. And fight this is the fight for our children for our seniors for small businesses. This is the fight for rural America and for urban America. This is the fight for the very ideals. We need what one more vote stand together, fight together. Let your voice be heard. It's time for us to give more people that serve in Congress, a backbone to make sure that they stand up not for the moneyed interests not for the power. But if they stand up for the people and the greatness of this democracy, Thank you. From Hawaii, Colleen Hanabusa I miss you as our chair, I miss you don't take them away. No. I won't Aloha everyone. Aloha Aloha. What we're talking about putting it in Washington DC terms. We'll we'll all understand what the FCC is doing is they're creating gatekeepers for pay to play on the Internet. That's really what it's about So the Internet service providers we call a ISPs are the gatekeepers and they are gonna make. Pay to play This is what the Trump FCC is now doing the FCC's decision to rescind net neutrality will allow what we call the civilization of the Internet. What does the stabilization mean it means that ISPs operate with total control over the content of their networks and by rescinding it, the FCC grants the ISP to manage how Americans access and engage with Internet content and applications. The original design of the Internet was the law for maximum competition between all users. It is an invention that uniquely captures the American values and expressions of a free market. Remember those things called American values not paid to play for the Internet. Net neutrality is about protecting that original design and the market competition among Internet content applications that has driven our. To be more innovative and prosperous, this is what we're losing. We're losing the generations of innovation and prosperity. So please help us help us to convince them that they cannot re. Sinn the net neutrality rules. Thank you beautiful. In New Hampshire, Great Maggie Hassan. Well, I too, I'm just here to say that we need to restore net neutrality access to a free and open Internet is at the forefront of the lives of nearly every single American Here. We have a country based on the value that every single one of us matters and counts and the Trump, FCC says. Not so fast. you don't matter you don't count unless you can pay consumers entrepreneurs, innovative, small businesses and in turn our nation's economy have all benefited from equal access. On the Internet, no matter the Internet service provider and an open Internet has created an even playing field online for new and exciting ideas to thrive. Net neutrality has guaranteed this access without net neutrality. The voices of traditionally underrepresented people will lose out the ability to communicate and organize online like we've seen with the women's marches and rallies across the nation is at risk. Will be stifled and small businesses will be hurt. I just love to hear it to help community where we were talking about the importance of data to fight the opioid epidemic. Think about slowing the flow of that data in this critical time, as we try to turn the tide on that epidemic, we are here today to make clear that we will not stop fighting for net neutrality and we will continue to push our colleagues to support our bipartisan effort to overturn the FCC's backward and harmful decision we. One more vote Thank you. And a rising star in the United States, Senate Senator Tina Smith. Thank you. thank you well as you can see I dressed for Minnesota today. I wanna give you one example of why net neutrality matters so much. This is an example from a small town in northern Minnesota called Fergus Falls. I met there an entrepreneur, a father. he and his wife and their young children wanted to move back to the farm-house that his wife's grandmother had once lived in, but he worked in finance in the Twin cities, but because that farm-house was connected to broad. He was able to run his business and had transactions all over the all over the world. He was able to run it from that farm-house and then at the end of the day. If the weather wasn't too bad, he could walk out to the end of his long driveway and meet his kids When they got off from school, he was able to do that all because of a free and open Internet net neutrality and he was able to do that because no big company thousands of miles away got to decide how his business worked got to decide what content he had access to and got to decide how fast it comes to him. I strongly support this. I've only been in the Senate for a little around two months, but I'm so proud to join my colleagues, including Senator Klobuchar, a great consumer champion for Minnesota to provide another vote for net neutrality. Thank you. And from California Jerry McNerney Thank you Senator. So I've heard from thousands of my constituents who need net neutrality. They want them to tell you they demand net neutrality. We will have to have net neutrality. Basically it comes down to this. If you're a small business owner, then you can count on being shoved upside. If you if we don't have none neutrality, it's gonna hurt our small business. It's gonna hurt innovation but look at it from a personal. If you like your cable bill, if you like the way it's itemized for you to get the different cable services, then you're gonna love what happens when that goes away cuz you're gonna have to pay for for for Facebook. you're gonna have to pay for Google. You're gonna have to pay for all of these services individually or bundled together. It's gonna raise your rates and Moreover, if you agree if you disagree with your cable provider, they can cut you out. They can eliminate you. That's what. Means it means free open access to the Internet. We Demand net neutrality. We demand to keep net neutrality. We're gonna do everything we can to prevent the Federal Communication Commission from taking that right away from us. Thank you. Thank you Jerry. Now we're gonna hear from farmer Federal Communications Commissioner Michael Cobbs. And good morning and thanks to my friend and my hero and markie for bringing us all together and all the illustrious members of Congress who have come out today and support of what he's trying to do how ridiculous is it. That was 70 percent of the American people supporting network neutrality and an open Internet. We have only one member of the Republican Party prepared to vote for the resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act. I'll tell you if I was. Running for office in 2018 with all the bag, that's out there for a lot of people from this party. I don't think I would be wanting as part of my platform opposition to an open Internet. This issue is such a no brainer and has been a no brainer for so many years and you don't have to drill down very far to understand why that is so. Because of the outrageous influence of the big I s P Gatekeepers, Comcast and ATT and Verizon. I'm thea's full of money that they keep pouring into our tainted political bloodstream absent that power absent That money. This would not be an issue. We will not be here talking about it today. We wouldn't be having a press conference. We would have had a net neutrality rules on the record years and years ago. We wouldn't be having this fight, but we are having this fight and now it's up to all of us. To make our voices heard over there and over there. Asking our members of Congress, no not asking insisting from our members of Congress that they get behind this resolution of disapproval, tell them that your vote in the next election depends upon how they vote now and tell them that this has become the free speech issue of our time and if they can't stand up for free speech, then they're not standing up for you. They're not standing. Our country and they're not standing up for democracy. Thank you very much. Next, we're gonna hear from Evan Greer for fight for the future. Thank you all for being here. This is an important day fight for the future with our allies and demand progress. Free press and many other organizations represent millions of people and many of those people are Republicans the Libertarians they're conservatives and they care about net neutrality because they don't want their cable company to decide where they can get their news where they can get information how they listen to music what websites and app. Can use this is not a partisan issue outside of Washington, DC, and the sooner Republicans in the Senate and House get that memo the better off they'll be in 2018. This CRA will be a simple up or down vote on the future of the free and open Internet. This is not just about how quickly our videos load. The Internet is the most powerful tool we have to combat authoritarianism and tyranny to combat corruption to hold powerful people and institutions accountable. This is about the future of. Of expression and the future of our democracy. If you're a member of Congress, you may hear from lobbyists from large telecom companies and also large tech companies who may tell you that you can hide from this CRA by supporting alternative legislation that purports to protect Internet users. I will tell you right now. Those lobbyists are not the ones who will vote for you. Those lobbyists do not have access to large numbers of your constituents. We have organized. Of the largest online protest in history, millions of people have used our website battle for the net dot com to contact their legislators and we will ensure that all of those people know exactly how every single member of Congress votes on the CRA. If you're a senator and you failed to support the CRA when it comes to a vote, you'll be seen as voting against the Internet. If you're a representative and you failed to support the discharge petition to bring the CRA to a vote in the House, you will be seen as voting. Against the free and open Internet, the Internet has changed the rules for what is and isn't possible here in Washington, DC. It's given ordinary people, a new type of power that they've never had before and they're willing to fight to defend it. We will fight for net neutrality and we will win. Thank you. Thank you and finally we're gonna hear from Steven Ramiro of the National Hispanic Media Coalition Welcome. Thank you. My name is Steven Andro. I'm the organizing director with the Center for Media Justice, but I'm also up here alongside my brothers and sisters. we have the voices for Internet Freedom Coalition, which includes groups like the National Hispanic Media Coalition, Color of Change And Free Press 18 million, rising and many others. simply put we represent people of color around this issue on net neutrality and we care about net neutrality because net neutrality prevents discrimination. we come from communities who are very used to systematic discrimination that gives us access to poor schools to poor housing. Education to a poor criminal Justice system and the Internet is one of the few places where we're not discriminated against and it empowers us. It empowers women like Tora Burke to start a hashtag to deal with sexual violence in this country. It empowers young students all over the country to respond to the Parkland shooting by mobilizing and walking out of their schools and demanding gun reform. It empowers our communities to have a voice and without that. this fight is not about bits and bites and Facebook and Google. It is about people's civil rights and that's why we stand up here alongside all our. In Congress who are being champions on this issue to demand not just one more vote, but all the votes stand on the right side of history vote for the CRA and support net neutrality. Alright, ladies and gentlemen there you have it. The fight is now joined and we are going to see an uprising of tens of millions of people across this country of the polling is overwhelming. 83 percent of all Americans want to see a retention of a net neutrality as the rules of the road for the Internet. it's going to inject itself as a major determining factor as to how millennials in our country vote, it's hard to. A millennial that does not support net neutrality so this is it's a voting issue here on the floor of the House and Senate and then in the voting booths of November of 2018 and every single city and town and state across our country. so we thank you all for being here and I don't know if anyone has a question but we're good but thank you all for being here. The fight begins. One more vote.