Rep. Darrell Issa on Thursday blasted the Federal Communications Commission‘s new Internet regulations for “attempting to fix something that is far from broken” and warned of a lack of innovation in the future.
The FCC voted 3-to-2 to treat Internet service like a utility in order to prevent major cable and wireless companies from favoring, slowing or blocking websites. The “net neutrality” approach was advocated by President Obama.
Issa, the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet, said in a statement after the FCC’s action that the new regulations will reduce competition and innovation.
“Over the past couple of decades, the Internet’s growth has been a success story that has fundamentally changed much of society. The FCC is attempting to fix something that is far from broken,” said the Republican who represents north coastal San Diego and south Orange counties.
“Unfortunately, so-called net neutrality has all the hallmarks of an Obama policy: a lack of transparency throughout the process, a glossy public relations campaign that seeks to mask the reality of the proposal, and guarantees that, if successful, the government’s hand will reach ever-further into Americans’ lives.”
The House Judiciary Committee, meanwhile, announced that it will hold a hearing on the impact of the FCC’s new policy on March 17.