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Rep Anna Eshoo

Eshoo Blasts FCC Indifference to Public Safety in Latest Net Neutrality Proceeding

October 21, 2020

Federal court required FCC to protect public safety after Santa Clara County lawsuit

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo (CA-18), a senior member of the House Communications and Technology Subcommittee, wrote to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai today to express her high concerns that the FCC is ignoring its court-mandated obligation to protect public safety in its latest net neutrality repeal order and called on the Chairman to drop the proposal from next week's open meeting agenda.

"California is experiencing the most horrific wildfire season in history, and I'm deeply concerned that the FCC is ignoring its mandate to protect public safety as required by statute and by a federal court," Rep. Eshoo wrote. "On October 6, 2020, you published a proposal for the Commission to consider on October 27, 2020, that essentially says the FCC's 2018 repeal didn't actually miss anything with respect to public safety. This proposal ignores what the D.C. Circuit highlighted as serious shortcomings of the 2018 repeal and what is required of the FCC by statute."

Background

On January 4, 2018, the FCC repealed net neutrality rules. Later that year, Verizon throttled Santa Clara County firefighters in the middle of their efforts to fight the then-largest fire in California history, despite the fact that Santa Clara County paid for an unlimited data plan. Santa Clara County and its Central Fire Protection District sued the FCC because its blanket repeal of net neutrality rules put lives at risk. A federal court agreed that the FCC ignored public safety in its repeal of net neutrality and remanded the repeal back to the FCC. Next week, the FCC will consider a proposal that reaffirms the 2018 repeal and ignores the public safety concerns raised a federal court.

To read a copy of Rep. Eshoo's letter, click HERE.