Regulatory Reform - May 2017

Net neutrality activists claim that repealing Title II regulatory expansion will place your internet access in the hands of monopolistic telecom giants. Allegedly, uncompetitive internet service providers (ISPs) will raise rates, provide miserable service, and arbitrarily choose which websites you access. These concerns stem from alleged reports that ISPs face little competition for broadband services, citing that 48% of Americans living in an area with only one broadband provider of FCC standard high speed internet.

FreedomWorks Foundation responded to an open request from the Trump administration's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for suggestions on how to reform the federal government to better serve the American people.

The Obama administration was riddled with regulations and red tape that put federal oversight on everything from ponds to bathrooms to cow flatulence. In fact, President Obama reached a record high number of pages in the Federal Register (the federal journal of regulations) during his last full year in office.

Net Neutrality proponents argue that internet service providers (ISPs) will slow your internet speed and charge you extra fees if the FCC abandons its Title II regulatory expansion. Wrong. This goes against every ounce of recorded history, which shows that speeds increase and prices decline, and have done so without Title II.

Many states have been discussing ways to pay for road funding. Now, there are two ways to make something affordable. One way is to increase revenue and the other way is to drive down costs. It has been suggested to take a look at replacing the gas tax to be able to afford road funding since the revenue brought in by the gas tax is on the decline while road coasts are increasing.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai put the Obama-era “net neutrality” rules on the chopping block in a 2-1 vote on May 18th to move forward with a proposed rulemaking to overturn the 2015 Open Internet Order. One mythical claim by activists who favor net neutrality is that repeal of the Open Internet Order legalizes website censorship and hurts free speech. Following this narrative, internet service providers (ISPs) could arbitrarily block their broadband customers from accessing any websites they please. An especially feared target of censorship is online services provided by competitor companies.

Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) reintroduced the CREATES Act, S. 974, in an effort to close regulatory loopholes at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that limit competition in the emerging market for biosimilars. Sen. Mike Lee and all of the other cosponsors of last year’s bill have returned as cosponsors. Rep. Tom Marino also introduced this bill in the House of Representatives on April 27th.