Joint Press Statement:
Protecting and Strengthening the Open Internet
February 7, 2017 – The issue of network neutrality and the importance of a free and open
internet has been a political football. Every time the political pendulum swings, this policy
debate becomes difficult, convoluted, and even condescending. One thing is crystal clear: The
internet should be open and accessible.
For this reason, we support a permanent statutory solution that enshrines the basic open
internet principles into law. These core principles are not controversial and should not be
subject to endless litigation, regulation, and reconsideration. A statute locking in net neutrality
would protect net neutrality no matter how the political winds blow.
A statutory approach also avoids the jurisdictional and classification problems that plagued the
last FCC. The goal should be improvement, deployment, and adoption of the high speed
networks that all Americans deserve. Legislation will provide certainty to consumers and
industry for the foreseeable future.
We urge every Senator, Representative and advocacy organization to support this common
sense, pro-consumer approach.
Kim Keenan
President and CEO
Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council

Mee Moua
Executive Director
Asian Americans Advancing Justice

Leslie Moe-Kaiser
President
Asian Pacific American Advocates

Floyd Mori
President and CEO
Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies

Rosa Mendoza
Executive Director
Hispanic Technology and Telecommunications Partnership

Amy Hinojosa
Executive Director
MANA – A National Latina Organization

Hilary O. Shelton
Director, Washington Bureau & Senior VP for Policy and
Advocacy
NAACP

Marc H. Morial
President and CEO
National Urban League

Contact:
Marcella Gadson, Director of Communications, MMTC
mgadson@mmtconline.org (202) 332-0500