PITTSBURGH, June 15, 2016 – ACA President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement following bipartisan passage by the Senate Commerce Committee of the Small Business Broadband Deployment Act of 2015:
“ACA is very pleased with the Senate Commerce Committee’s bipartisan passage of the Small Business Broadband Deployment Act (S. 2283), which provides for a three-year exemption for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) with 250,000 subscribers or fewer from the Federal Communications Commission’s Open Internet enhanced transparency requirements.
“ACA believes that the application of the FCC’s currently designed enhanced transparency requirements to smaller ISPs will provide limited benefits for customers while subjecting these ISPs to substantial burdens. Importantly, ACA agrees the bill will allow smaller ISPs to concentrate on their businesses and customers without having to cope with burdensome regulatory requirements.
“ACA looks forward to working with Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and ranking member Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fl.), Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), and others as this small business bill moves to the Senate floor for final passage and later reconciliation with companion House legislation. The Small Business Broadband Deployment Act (H.R. 4946) – which included a five-year exemption for ISPs with 250,000 subscribers or fewer — passed the House on March 16 by a unanimous vote of 411-0.”
About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing nearly 750 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for nearly 7 million cable subscribers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA’s members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their business. For more information, visit https://acaconnects.org/