Statement of Common Cause President Chellie Pingree

It is extremely disappointing that the Senate Commerce Committee today narrowly failed to approve an amendment protecting our rights to an open, accessible Internet.

Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND) deserve our gratitude for sponsoring this amendment that would have protected consumers’ unfettered access to Internet content. We thank the sponsors for their valiant and eloquent fight to pass it.

Despite the defeat of this proposal on a tie vote of 11 to 11, this is not the end of the struggle, but the beginning. We will mobilize our activists for the upcoming fight on the Senate floor.