Political Quotes

“I am pleased to be able to support H.R. 1580, a bill to affirm the policy of the United States to preserve and advance the successful multistakeholder model that governs the Internet. Democrats and Republicans in Congress and the Administration have been united in our support for a global open Internet governed from the bottom up. We worked together last Congress on a bipartisan, bicameral basis to express our support for that successful approach to Internet governance. On some domestic issues, I have strong differences with the majority over Internet policy. One example is my support for a domestic Internet policy that prevents Internet service providers from acting as ``gatekeepers'' that control what American citizens can do online. But those differences appropriately stop at the water's edge. I want to thank Chairman Upton and Chairman Walden for listening to the concerns we had about the initial draft of this bill. They worked with me and other Committee Democrats to address those issues by removing certain language from the draft and assuring us that the legislation is in no way intended to direct domestic Internet policy. With these changes and the assurances of my colleagues, I am pleased that we stand together on a bipartisan basis in support of our diplomats and the multistakeholder model for global Internet governance. I urge my colleagues to support this measure so we can send a strong, united signal to the global community. The SPEAKER pro tempore.…”