Letter to Hon. Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture - Senators Markey and Wyden Applaud Department of Agriculture for Correctly Prioritizing Broadband Applicants That Follow Net Neutrality Principles

Letter

Dear Secretary Vilsack:

We write in support of your recent decision to encourage applicants to the Department's
ReConnect Program to commit to following net neutrality principles by offering additional
points to the applicant for making such a commitment. Amidst the ongoing pandemic that has
dramatically increased millions of Americans' reliance on internet access, internet users need net
neutrality now more than ever. We urge you to resist any efforts to undermine your wise and
timely efforts to promote a free and open internet.

Net neutrality is a set of principles necessary to keep the internet open to all and free of
discriminatory practices by powerful broadband providers. Net neutrality rules forbid internet
service providers (ISPs) from blocking or slowing down customers' internet access; charging
websites to reach users at quicker speeds; and instituting other unjust, unreasonable, and
discriminatory practices. Net neutrality rules benefit consumers, promote free speech, and enrich
the economy by making the internet a fair playing field where entrepreneurs and businesses of all
sizes can thrive.

Your decision should also be understood in the context of the world in which we live today. In
2021, broadband has demonstrated that it is essential for nearly every facet of daily life. The rise
of remote work has pushed more of the global economy online. Full participation in civic and
democratic processes increasingly requires online engagement. These trends have made the need
for strong net neutrality protections even more urgent, as reliance on the internet for education,
health care, commerce, and community work has skyrocketed. The potential harms that internet
users face without strong net neutrality protections are more sweeping than ever.

The Department of Agriculture plays an important role in closing the digital divide and bringing
the internet to rural Americans. The ReConnect Program furnishes critical loans and grants to
provide funds for the costs of construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities and
equipment needed to provide broadband service in rural areas. In evaluating applications for
funding, the Department astutely decided that internet service providers that commit to following
net neutrality would receive a leg up in their review. We wholeheartedly agree with your
approach and hope other agencies will follow your excellent example.

Thank you again for your important work. Your efforts will greatly benefit internet users across
our country.

Sincerely

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