WASHINGTON, D.C.— House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) released the following statement after House passage of H.R. 1644, the Democrat “Government-Controlled Internet Act”:
“Democrats call H.R. 1644 the ‘Save the Internet Act of 2019,’ but what are Democrats trying to save the internet from? The internet isn’t broken. When we repealed net neutrality, Speaker Pelosi and her caucus made hysterical claims that the internet as we knew it was doomed, but their predictions never came true. Internet speed and investment has increased because we once again have a free and competitive marketplace. H.R. 1644 throws open the gates to government control of everything from price setting to investment oversight. Heavy-handed regulations and taxes will dry up investments, slow down traffic, and limit access for rural communities.
“Decades of innovation and private investment gave us the most revolutionary product of the century. It’s ridiculous to say that all of a sudden we need to treat the internet like a regulated utility. A free and open internet has always operated best without the government being involved and we should fight to keep it that way.”