Big Vote Today: Call Congress Right Now

[cyrix]

The House Judiciary Committee is going to “mark up” Representatives Sensenbrenner and Conyers’ good Net Neutrality bill this morning (watch the Committee vote via the Web). (http://www.judiciary.house.gov/schedule.aspx) Many in the committee have been pressured by the big telcos to vote down the net neutrality provisions.

These are the members to contact on the bipartisan bill. Urge them to support the Sensenbrenner-Conyers “Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act of 2006″ (HR 5417) in the Judiciary Committee today — and to support it without amendment. Saying without amendment is key. Here are the members who need to hear from you right now:

Marty Meehan (D-Mass. 5th)
Phone: (202) 225-3411
Fax: (202) 226-0771

Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y. 9th)
Phone: (202) 225-6616
Fax: (202) 226-7253

Howard Berman (D-Calif. 28th)
Phone: 202-225-4695
Fax: 202-225-3196

William Delahunt (D-Mass. 10th)
Phone: (202) 225-3111
Fax: (202) 225-5658

Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas 18th)
(202) 225-3816 phone
(202) 225-3317 Fax

Bobby Scott (D-Va. 3rd)
Phone: (202) 225-8351
Fax: (202) 225-8354

Chris Van Hollen (D-Md. 8th)
Phone: (202) 225-5341
Fax: (202) 225-0375

Maxine Waters (D-Calif. 35th)
Phone: (202) 225-2201
Fax: (202) 225-7854

Mel Watt (D-N.C. 12th)
Tel. (202) 225-1510
Fax (202) 225-1512

Robert Wexler (D-Fla. 19th)
phone: (202) 225-3001
fax: (202) 225-5974

Howard Coble (R-NC 6th)
phone: (202) 225-3065
fax: (202) 225-8611

Elton Gallegly (R-CA 24th)
phone: (202) 225-5811
fax: (202) 225-1100

Bob Goodlatte (R-VA 6th)
phone: (202) 225-5431
fax: (202) 225-9681

Steve Chabot (R-OH 5th)
phone: (202) 225-2216
fax: (202) 225-3012 (fax)

Dan Lungren (R-CA 3rd)
phone: (202) 225-5716
fax: (202) 226-1298

William Jenkins (R-TN 1st)
phone: (202) 225-6356
fax: (202) 225-5714

John Hostettler (R-IN 8th)
phone: (202) 225-4636
fax: (202) 225-3284

Mark Green (R-WI 8th)
phone: (202) 225-5665
fax: (202) 225-5729

Ric Keller (R-FL 8th)
phone: (202) 225-2176
fax: (202) 225-0999

[Fox]

Does this have any impact on countries outside of the USA?

[cyrix]

Is this applicable to any countries outside of the USA?

Not directly. It could have an effect though. If they get to regulate their own lines and charge additional fee's for accessing data across it, then it very well could.

[X-reS]

Can you explain what this bill is about in a little bit more detail.

[cyrix]

This bill is trying to uphold this:

Network neutrality is the principle that some form of Common Carrier regulations should be applied to all Internet access networks. The term was coined by Columbia Law School professor Tim Wu to support an open access theory of network regulation. According to this view, the Internet access networks, having received valuable public right of way should not be allowed to operate without open access because owners might discriminate among Internet services and make excessive profits. Network neutrality is closely tied to the idea that the Internet should not be controlled by the Internet access provider. However, ISPs would argue that they are not denying any access, only exercising their First Amendment right not to be compelled to carry others' speech. Therefore, network neutrality can mean many different things depending on how the term is cast.

Network neutrality has been expanded by others into a general theory of network operational architecture. It means that the network is operated under the three principles of neutrality: non-discrimination, interconnection, and access. The principles can apply to any network, but are generally ascribed to the Internet. They govern the operation of the network, not the content or business practices of the network operator. Inherent in the definition is that network operations are distinct from the content side. Network neutrality is one way to describe the operational architecture of the global Internet. Nearly every nation operating a portion of the Internet, often by default, has adopted some form of the neutrality principle, depending on its definition.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_neutrality


If this bill fails and does not get passed then expect internet costs to rise and start up sites to become less common because they won't be able to afford it.

[X-reS]

I understand. That kinda makes me angry the internet has done so much to bring the world together with ideas and culture ,and because they want to make a profit they are going to reverse it.