----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Karr" <info@freepress.net>
To: <savetheinternet@freepress.net>
Sent: Friday, May 26, 2006 10:26 AM
Subject: SavetheInternet Update: Small Vote, Big Victory for Internet
Freedom
Dear SavetheInternet.com Member,
The fight for Internet Freedom took a major step in the right direction
yesterday.
A bipartisan majority on the House Judiciary Committee passed the "Internet
Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act" -- a good bill that would protect Network
Neutrality and prohibit large phone and cable companies from turning the
Internet into their private domain.
Yesterday's vote is a milestone in our campaign. It would have been
unthinkable just four weeks ago -- when we lost a vote on Net Neutrality in
the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
In the weeks since that first vote, we have ignited a prairie fire across
America. And Washington is beginning to feel the heat:
a.. More than 700 groups from all 50 states are now a part of the
SavetheInternet.com Coalition - a diverse list that includes MoveOn.org, the
Christian Coalition, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU),
Consumers Union and the American Library Association
b.. A-list musicians such as REM, Moby, The Roots and the Dixie Chicks
have joined the coalition with many more to be announced soon.
c.. Major U.S. newspapers -- including the San Jose Mercury News, New York
Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Seattle Times and Houston Chronicle -- have
written editorials supporting our position.
d.. More than 5,000 bloggers have linked to the SavetheInternet.com Web
site and blog -- urging their readers to take action on this issue.
e.. And yesterday, the Coalition's petition drive surpassed 750,000
signatures.
With little money and through the efforts of many, we have turned momentum
against a handful of phone and cable giants that are spending untold
millions of dollars to squash Internet freedom.
Through their high-priced lobbyists, slick ad campaigns and fake grassroots
groups, companies like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast are trying to drown out
genuine grassroots and consumer advocacy. Yesterday's vote proves, however,
that our voices are being heard. But we're still far from saving Net
Neutrality.
The full House will take up the bipartisan Judiciary bill in June. The
Senate is also considering legislation that currently fails to protect Net
Neutrality, though a bipartisan group of Senators are lining up behind an
excellent bipartisan bill sponsored by Senators Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and
Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota).
We need to continue to mobilize our resources, engage the public and put
Congress on notice. I've added some links below to new information about the
campaign. I'll be soon sharing some new ideas as we proceed. I welcome your
feedback.
But for now, take a moment to savor this win.
Thank you,
Timothy Karr
Free Press Campaign Director
SavetheInternet.com Coalition
tkarr@freepress.net
1. For regular updates on the campaign, read the SavetheInternet.com blog:
www.savetheinternet.com/blog
2. Read our new report debunking the telco propaganda: Why Consumers Demand
Internet Freedom (PDF).
3. Also yesterday, Free Press Policy Director Ben Scott testified before the
Senate Commerce Committee on behalf of the coalition. Read his statement
(DOC).
4. Check out the pro-Net Neutrality ad sponsored by MoveOn and the Christian
Coalition: hhttp://cdn.moveon.org/content/pdfs/MoveOnChristianCoalition.pdf
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