Political Quotes

“Mr. President, our ranking member on the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation has always framed the issue of net neutrality and consumer rights appropriately. I am going to speak for just a few minutes. Then, on behalf of our side--on behalf of the Democratic caucus--Senator Markey, our friend from Massachusetts, will propound a unanimous consent request. I note that the chairman of the committee is here, and we will have a bit of discussion. Let me give a bit of history on this. Senator Markey introduced the first net neutrality bill as a Member of the other Chamber, and I introduced the first net neutrality bill in the U.S. Senate. Right out of the gate, I think it is important for people to understand what this issue is all about. Real net neutrality empowers consumers. After they pay their internet access fees, they get to go where they want, when they want, and how they want. What Ajit Pai and Donald Trump want is something very different. They want an internet policy that lets Big Cable get what it wants, when Big Cable wants it, and how Big Cable wants it. That is the difference here. Who is in the driver's seat? Senator Markey, Senator Cantwell, and I say that this is what the beauty of the internet has always been about, which is really simple. The consumer is in the driver's seat. We don't have an information aristocracy with lanes and all kinds of favoritism for the powerful and the influential.…”