Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL-06) on Net neutrality

NOTE: The letter below, dated 16 January 2007, is interesting because the language appears to support Net neutrality, when in fact Rep. Stearns voted against Net neutrality twice in the 109^th Congress: once in committee, and again on the floor.

Thank you for contacting me regarding network neutrality. I appreciate hearing from you and having the benefit of your views.

The Internet has had a profound impact on American life. It has permanently altered the way we communicate, do business and give and receive information. Therefore, it is important for Congress to encourage greater broadband deployment and preserve and promote the open and interconnected nature of the public Internet. This principle of openness, as adopted by the FCC, must ensure that consumers are entitled to access lawful Internet content of their choosing and be able to run the applications and use the services they want. As a Member of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, you may be assured that I will continue to fight to preserve the free and open nature of the Internet.

Thank you again for contacting me. If I can be of any further assistance on this or another federal matter, please do not hesitate to contact me. With kind regards, I am

Sincerely,

Cliff Stearns
United States Representative