Booker, King Push for 'Flexible' Title II Reclassification
The FCC must reclassify broadband as a Communications Act Title II service, argued Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Angus King, I-Maine, in a joint CNN op-ed Monday. “Some worry that this approach could be overly burdensome on Internet service providers,…
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but the fact is, the FCC can easily apply only the necessary parts of Title II regulation through a process known as forbearance,” they said. “This flexible approach would allow the FCC to adopt bright-line rules that provide certainty to the market, and would keep the Internet as a powerful, open platform that gives everyone -- not just the highest-bidder -- the opportunity to freely exchange goods and ideas.” Any alternative “will not allow the FCC to adopt the rules we need today to protect customers and businesses, and will result in high social and economic costs,” they said, calling for a ban on blocking, discrimination and Internet “tolls.” Capitol Hill Republicans and many industry stakeholders have warned of what they see as burdens of reclassification.