WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), the ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee, issued the following statement on today’s 3-2 vote by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to dismantle the Obama-era net neutrality rules:

“Today, in a strictly partisan vote, FCC Republicans turned their backs on consumers by voting to give internet providers the ability to decide what websites their customers see, how fast they see them and how much they are going to have to pay for access,” Nelson said.  “Congress needs to fix the mess the FCC has now created with a lasting solution that will fully protect consumers and preserve the FCC’s authority.  Securing these protections will be difficult and won’t happen quickly given the current political climate in Congress.  But, for the sake of consumers, we have to continue to try.”