[CWN-Summit] Internet under attack in Congress. Act now.

Frannie Wellings fwellings at freepress.net
Fri Jun 10 13:50:41 CDT 2005


Hi all,

We sent just this to our list...

Best,

Frannie

<http://www.freepress.net>

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*From:* Josh Silver, Exec Director [mailto:list at freepress.net]
*Sent:* Friday, June 10, 2005 2:02 PM
*To:* caaron at freepress.net
*Subject:* Internet under attack in Congress. Act now.

 

free press 
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=19066567&url_num=1&url=http://www.freepress.net/>

Dear Craig Aaron:

A bill just introduced in Congress would take away the right of cities 
and towns across the country to provide citizens with universal, 
low-cost Internet access.

Giant cable and telephone companies don't want any competition -- which 
might actually force them to offer lower prices, higher speeds and 
service to rural and urban areas.

U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) -- a former telephone company 
executive -- has introduced a bill (HR 2726) that would let cable and 
telecom companies shut down municipal and community efforts to offer 
broadband services.

You can stop this outrageous bill. Send a message to your representative 
now. 
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=19066567&url_num=2&url=http://www.freepress.net/action/sessionsbill>

Next, forward this message to everyone you know ...

No less than the future of all communications is at stake. In a few 
years, television, telephone, radio and the Web will be accessed through 
a high-speed internet connection. Low-cost alternatives to telephone 
(DSL) and cable monopolies are emerging across the country, as cities, 
towns, nonprofits and community groups build low-cost "Community 
Internet" and municipal broadband systems.

Companies like SBC, Verizon and Comcast have been introducing laws state 
by state that would prohibit municipal broadband, undercut local control 
and prevent competition. But we've been fighting back -- and winning.

An alliance of public interest groups, local officials, high-tech 
innovators and organized citizens have defeated anti-municipal broadband 
measures in nine of the 13 states where they've been introduced this year.

What the industry couldn't pass in the states, they're trying to push 
through in Washington. Sessions' bill -- the "Preserving Innovation in 
Telecom Act" (an Orwellian title if there ever was one) -- would prevent 
state and local governments from providing "any telecommunications 
service, information service or cable service" anywhere a corporation 
offers a similar service.

Congressman Sessions worked for telephone giant SBC for 16 years, and 
his wife currently serves as a director of Cingular Wireless, an SBC 
subsidiary. SBC and its employees have been Sessions' second-biggest 
career patron, pouring more than $75,000 into his campaign coffers.

We can stop this legislation and send a clear message to Congress that 
local communities -- not the giant telephone and cable companies -- 
should determine their own communications needs. But you must act now.

Please send a letter opposing HR 2726 
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=19066567&url_num=3&url=http://www.freepress.net/action/sessionsbill> 
-- and forward this message to everyone you know, asking them to do the 
same.

Onward,

Josh Silver
Executive Director
Free Press
www.freepress.net 
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=19066567&url_num=4&url=http://www.freepress.net> 


P.S. For all of the latest news on Community Internet and municipal 
broadband, visit the Free Press Web site at 
www.freepress.net/communityinternet 
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=19066567&url_num=5&url=http://www.freepress.net/communityinternet>.

P.P.S. Want to get more involved in bringing Community Internet to your 
hometown? Join the Free Press Action Squad at 
www.freepress.net/action/squad/signup.php 
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=19066567&url_num=6&url=http://www.freepress.net/action/squad/signup.php>.

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