“The Internet is keeping score.” Net neutrality advocates launch new Congressional scoreboard as pressure on House Reps reaches a boiling point

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 23, 2018
Contact: Evan Greer, 978-852-6457, press@fightforthefuture.org

Grassroots groups and major websites like Tumblr, GitHub, Postmates, and Pornhub are helping drive traffic as part of the launch

THE INTERNET––Today, the net neutrality advocates behind BattleForTheNet.com launched an updated Congressional “scoreboard” showing where every member of Congress stands on the Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to reverse the FCC’s repeal of basic open Internet protections. The updated tool also shows constituents how much money their representatives have taken in campaign contributions from telecom companies, the number of phone calls the office has received about net neutrality, and the number of small businesses in the district that have signed an open letter in support of the CRA.

The scoreboard is a project of BattleForTheNet.com, a net neutrality action site maintained by Fight for the Future, Demand Progress, and Free Press Action Fund. Today’s launch is being amplified by major web platforms like Tumblr, GitHub, Postmates, Private Internet Access VPN, Foursquare, Startpage, Namecheap, and Pornhub.

See the updated scoreboard at https://www.battleforthenet.com/scoreboard

See widgets, graphics, and banner ads that sites are using to promote the tool here: https://www.battleforthenet.com/#join

“Some elected officials are still under the woefully incorrect impression that they can hide from their constituents when it comes to net neutrality, or attempt to fool them by supporting symbolic legislation instead of the CRA,” said Evan Greer, deputy director of Fight for the Future, “Any lawmaker who sides with the big ISPs that line their pockets with campaign contributions over the basic Internet freedom of their constituents will learn the hard way. The math isn’t complicated: voters overwhelmingly support net neutrality. We’re going to make sure that every single voter knows if their representative sold them out. There’s nowhere to hide.”

The launch of the new scoreboard comes as pressure on House lawmakers to support the joint resolution to restore net neutrality has reached a boiling point. Last week Rep Mike Coffman (R-CO) became the first Republican member of the House to sign a discharge petition to force a vote on the CRA, putting victory increasingly within reach.

Net neutrality advocates are planning intensified activism starting today through August recess, with more in-district protests like the dozens that happened last week (see photos here), along with online and offline actions led by small businesses, US veterans, and others.

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