WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) voted in support of a bipartisan Congressional Review Act Resolution to undo the Federal Communication Commission’s repeal of net neutrality rules. Senator King was a cosponsor of the resolution, and has been a strong voice in support of the existing net neutrality rules. The bipartisan resolution passed the Senate by a vote of 52 to 47.

“Our 21^st century economy relies on a free and open internet, and today’s vote is a vital step toward defending that ideal,” said Senator King. “By fighting to keep the internet a level playing field, we’ll ensure that a mom-and-pop shop in Bangor or a start-up in Rockland has equal access to the internet, and the opportunity to innovate, grow, and compete in the global economy. I’ve heard from all different sectors of Maine on this topic: rural and urban, tech sector and business leaders, educators and students, farmers and healthcare professionals. The support for net neutrality is overwhelming. While I continue to be open to pursuing a permanent legislative solution, today I cast my vote with these Maine people in mind. I’ll keep fighting to make sure that the internet remains truly free and open for all Americans and that our next generation of business leaders can innovate and thrive.”

Senator King is a fierce proponent of protecting the internet as a tool that can be used equally by all. Earlier this week, he spoke on the Senate floor in support of net neutrality, and earlier this month, he led a discussion with Maine business owners, innovators, and entrepreneurs to discuss the implications a repeal of net neutrality could have on startups, job creators, and Maine’s statewide economy.  In December, he sent two letters to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, expressing concern about the proposal: one with Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) asking Chairman Pai to cancel the FCC’s vote repealing net neutrality, and another with a group of 38 Senate colleagues urging Chairman Pai to abandon the attempts to repeal net neutrality protections. Also in December, in light of reports that bots filed hundreds of thousands of fraudulent comments to the FCC during the net neutrality policymaking comment process, he urged Chairman Pai to delay the vote until an investigation of the public record could be conducted. In September 2015, he filed an amicus brief with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in support of the FCC’s Open Internet rules. He also wrote a letter to then-FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler in advance of the Commission’s net neutrality decision urging the FCC to put in place strong, light-touch protections that ensure the internet remains open and free of discriminatory practices.