Mayor Lee Announces U.S. Conference of Mayors Unanimously Adopts Net Neutrality Resolution
America’s Mayors Formally Adopt Principles of a Free & Open Internet: Transparency, Non-Discrimination & No Content Blocking
Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced that the U.S. Conference of Mayors has unanimously adopted a net neutrality resolution sponsored by Mayor Lee and 16 other Mayors calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to enshrine principles of transparency and non-discrimination into future regulations about how the Internet works. The resolution was adopted at the U.S. Conference of Mayors 82nd Annual Meeting in Dallas, Texas.
“Net neutrality is critical for an innovation economy to thrive, because if the broadband companies could choose what web pages you can access, the Internet would lose its power as the most powerful communication tool we’ve ever known,” said Mayor Lee. “I am grateful to my cosponsors and the U.S. Conference of Mayors for adopting principles of a Free & Open Internet as the official policy of America’s Mayors. We believe in transparency and comprehensive non-discrimination, and we will fight for these values as the FCC writes regulations in the coming months. There are serious implications for commerce and democracy, and we’re making sure U.S. cities have a voice in this fight.”
“An open Internet is the backbone of a market-driven democracy in the 21st Century,” said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I applaud Mayors Edwin Lee, Paul Soglin, Michael Nutter, Eric Garcetti, Jonathan Rothschild, and Edward Murray for adopting a resolution to preserve a free and open Internet as outlined in the FCC’s original Open Internet Order. Universal and affordable broadband access, and the free flow of information, is one critical area where we as mayors must focus in an effort to promote equality and close the opportunity gap. We simply cannot afford to allow large Internet Service Providers, which control large segments of the broadband market, like AT&T, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Verizon to reserve the fastest loading speeds for those who can pay for it. I wholeheartedly support this resolution and thank my colleagues for their leadership on this critical issue.”
“Our economic and civic health depend on the internet; it is the infrastructure of the 21st Century,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “Nowhere is that more true than Boston, the heart of the world’s innovation economy. An uneven and restricted playing field for tech companies will mean fewer jobs, higher hurdles for newer companies, and less access to the internet for all. None of us want that. Our future depends on a neutral, world class fiber network that serves all our residents and businesses. I am actively working with Mayors across the country to do just that.”
The resolution puts America’s Mayors on the record supporting net neutrality and its key principles of comprehensive non-discrimination and no content blocking. Mayors across the country joined the discussion around net neutrality because without proper regulation and protection from the FCC, the Internet would change fundamentally. The FCC is in the early stages of rulemaking as they work to enshrine the 2010 Open Internet Order into Federal regulation.
The co-sponsors of the net neutrality resolution are:
Edwin Lee, San Francisco
Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles
Bill DeBlasio, New York City
Michael Nutter, Philadelphia
Martin Walsh, Boston
Jonathan Rothschild, Tucson
Ed Murray, Seattle
Christopher Cabaldon, West Sacramento
Pedro Segarra, Hartford
Charles Hales, Portland
Greg Stanton, Phoenix
Pam O’Connor, Santa Monica
Stephen Benjamin, Columbus
Tari Renner, Bloomington
John R. Marks, Tallahassee
Chris Koos, Normal
Mark Kleinschmidt, Chapel Hill
As the FCC continues with rulemaking, Mayor Lee will continue leading the effort to bring America’s Mayors together to submit formal comments that support the principles of a Free & Open Internet.
“Net neutrality is critical for an innovation economy to thrive, because if the broadband companies could choose what web pages you can access, the Internet would lose its power as the most powerful communication tool we’ve ever known,” said Mayor Lee. “I am grateful to my cosponsors and the U.S. Conference of Mayors for adopting principles of a Free & Open Internet as the official policy of America’s Mayors. We believe in transparency and comprehensive non-discrimination, and we will fight for these values as the FCC writes regulations in the coming months. There are serious implications for commerce and democracy, and we’re making sure U.S. cities have a voice in this fight.”
“An open Internet is the backbone of a market-driven democracy in the 21st Century,” said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I applaud Mayors Edwin Lee, Paul Soglin, Michael Nutter, Eric Garcetti, Jonathan Rothschild, and Edward Murray for adopting a resolution to preserve a free and open Internet as outlined in the FCC’s original Open Internet Order. Universal and affordable broadband access, and the free flow of information, is one critical area where we as mayors must focus in an effort to promote equality and close the opportunity gap. We simply cannot afford to allow large Internet Service Providers, which control large segments of the broadband market, like AT&T, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Verizon to reserve the fastest loading speeds for those who can pay for it. I wholeheartedly support this resolution and thank my colleagues for their leadership on this critical issue.”
“Our economic and civic health depend on the internet; it is the infrastructure of the 21st Century,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “Nowhere is that more true than Boston, the heart of the world’s innovation economy. An uneven and restricted playing field for tech companies will mean fewer jobs, higher hurdles for newer companies, and less access to the internet for all. None of us want that. Our future depends on a neutral, world class fiber network that serves all our residents and businesses. I am actively working with Mayors across the country to do just that.”
The resolution puts America’s Mayors on the record supporting net neutrality and its key principles of comprehensive non-discrimination and no content blocking. Mayors across the country joined the discussion around net neutrality because without proper regulation and protection from the FCC, the Internet would change fundamentally. The FCC is in the early stages of rulemaking as they work to enshrine the 2010 Open Internet Order into Federal regulation.
The co-sponsors of the net neutrality resolution are:
Edwin Lee, San Francisco
Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles
Bill DeBlasio, New York City
Michael Nutter, Philadelphia
Martin Walsh, Boston
Jonathan Rothschild, Tucson
Ed Murray, Seattle
Christopher Cabaldon, West Sacramento
Pedro Segarra, Hartford
Charles Hales, Portland
Greg Stanton, Phoenix
Pam O’Connor, Santa Monica
Stephen Benjamin, Columbus
Tari Renner, Bloomington
John R. Marks, Tallahassee
Chris Koos, Normal
Mark Kleinschmidt, Chapel Hill
As the FCC continues with rulemaking, Mayor Lee will continue leading the effort to bring America’s Mayors together to submit formal comments that support the principles of a Free & Open Internet.