WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the following statement on Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler’s announcement today:

“Chairman Wheeler’s announcement today is a bit of déjà vu and is an unnecessary overreaction to the D.C. Circuit striking down most of the Open Internet Order. The Chairman’s consideration of new rules underscores the concerns outlined in Judge Silberman’s opinion, which warned that an expansive reading of section 706 ‘would virtually free the Commission from its congressional tether.’

“The Chairman must have little faith that the FCC’s latest attempt to regulate the Internet will hold up under legal review, otherwise why bother keeping the Title II reclassification docket open?

“I expect to speak with the Chairman later this week, and I will again remind him of the importance of working with Congress to ensure his plans do not require corrective legislation. Like many, I have an optimistic view of the Internet as an engine for innovation, economic growth, and consumer empowerment, so I hope we can reach some common ground on how to keep it that way.” 

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