[PLUG-TALK] Reply from Congressman Earl Blumenauer (fwd)

[Rich Shepard]

   This is interesting. I actually received a (probably canned) response to
my e-mails to our Congressional delegation asking them to keep the 'Net
neutral and free of taxes and multi-tiered fees.

Rich

-- 
Richard B. Shepard, Ph.D.               |    The Environmental Permitting
Applied Ecosystem Services, Inc.        |         Accelerators(TM)
<http://www.appl-ecosys.com>     Voice: 503-667-4517      Fax: 503-667-8863

---------- Forwarded message ----------
October 15, 2007

Dear Mr. Shepard,

Thank you for contacting me about your concerns regarding "network
neutrality" and ensuring that the Internet remains open and free for
consumers.

I am a strong supporter of ensuring that networks are maintainers and not
gatekeepers.  The daily online activities of Americans should remain
uninhibited, and they must retain freedom of choice in their content.
Congress must be careful not to inadvertently enact legislation that
restricts legitimate uses of the Internet or promote anti-competitive
behavior.

Last session I supported and voted for Congressman Markey's Net Neutrality
amendment, which would have prevented network service providers from
degrading or giving preference to internet traffic from any content provider
or application. It also restored important non-discrimination requirements
enforced by the Federal Communications Commission that from the inception of
the Internet until August of 2005 were binding on telecommunications
carriers.  Unfortunately, Markey's amendment did not pass, but the COPE bill
did and is now under consideration by the Senate.

The potential regulation of the Internet will continue to be a topic of much
debate in Congress as the web and Internet continue to mature and change.
This session I will work to strengthen and protect the independence of the
internet and will pay close attention to legislation that comes up in
congress regarding network neutrality of the internet.

Thank you for voicing your concerns about this important issue. If you would
like to receive updates about this issue and other topics that I am working
on in Congress, please sign up on my website at www.blumenauer.house.gov
<http://www.blumenauer.house.gov/> .

Sincerely,
Earl Blumenauer
Member of Congress