Eagle-Eye Cherry

Save The Internet
Network Neutrality Threatened

Hey all, do you have a website? Do you blog? Or just surf the web a lot? A bill is headed for the senate that would allow a tiered system for the internet. If you have a website, for instance, this bill would make it legal for companies like AT&T and Verizon, etc. to hamper the reach of your site to users, unless you pay extra $$. Accordingly, certain sites (particularly small businesses, political or personal blogs, or even sites that internet providers don't like the content of) may become harder to access (slower, or in some way more difficult to access). Currently, we are all protected by a principle called "Network Neutrality" that keeps the internet free and open. An amendment to the bill that would preserve net neutrality (sponsored by Ed Markey-D. of Mass.) was voted down by the Republican led house. Now the bill is headed for the senate.

Call your senators and representatives and tell them that you support Net Neutrality. If you call, they really take notice, much more so than with internet petitions. Its really easy; someone will pick up, you just tell them you wanted to voice your opinion and support Net Neutrality. They might ask you for your zip code, and then you're done. Simple.

California:
Barbara Boxer
(Who sits on a key senate Committee on this):
Washington, D.C. Office: (202) 224-3553
Los Angeles Office: (213) 894-5000

Dianne Feinstein:
Washington, D.C. Office: (202) 224-3841
Los Angeles Office: (310) 914-7300

Washington State:
Senator Patty Murray
Washington offfice: (202) 224-2621
Seattle office (206) 553-5545

Senator Maria Cantwell
Washington office: (202) 224-3441
Seattle office (206) 220-6400

Massachusetts:
Senator John Kerry
Washington office: (202) 224-2742

Senator Edward M. Kennedy
Washington office: (202) 224-4543

More info is at http://www.savetheinternet.com

The text of the actual bills can be found at the Library of Congress if you want to dig deeper: http://thomas.loc.gov/
Then do a search on:
• S.2686 (Communications, Consumer's Choice and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006)
House Bills:
• H.R. 5252 (Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006)
• H.R. 5273 (To promote open broadband networks and innovation, foster electronic commerce, and safeguard consumer access to online content and services)