Today about president trumps first 100 days. And i would suggest that yes, the Supreme Court is a big deal. But the things that the chairman is working on right now potentially have the longest impact of anything coming out of this administration. That is definitely doable. So i have been at Freedom Works for 12 years. And 12 years ago, when i started this was one of the first issues we worked on. And last year i was very nervous that we were going in the wrong direction. President obama passed new regulations on the internet that i feared was primly stop innovation. Particularly 15 billion devices connected to the internet. That number is gonna go up to 50. So obviously well get into a whole new level of change. And we can either try and regulate that change or we can let the market develop. So we are encouraged to hear that chairman ajit pai, the announcements you will be making today. Well be looking at opening up the internet for development and in a way that will increase competition withdrew the internet open in a way that increases competition. And does away with trying to have regulation so elections have consequences. Another set at the end of the first 100 days, this potentially is going to be the greatest impact on our economy in the long run. With that i would like to introduce Karen Kerrigan from the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council. [applause] thank you very much adam it is a pleasure to cohost todays event. With Freedom Works. I know our members are very excited. There watching the lifestream right now on the Freedom Works platform on facebook and like all of you, are very excited to hear from chairman ajit pai about this internet regulation. It will not come as a surprise i think to all of you guys in the room werent even our members who are watching the event right now that when Small Business owners think about their experiences and with regulation by the regulatory process, those thoughts are not that kinder to say the least. Regulations, very costly. Archaic, outdated, complex, conflicting. And the regulatory process itself most times not consider the impact on small firms and entrepreneurs and ignores the concerns when rules are actually released. So that being said, theyre very excited about the new direction that this administration is taking on the regulatory front. And on regulations in general. Across all agencies and are very excited about what the fcc has done so far. Under the chairmanship of ajit pai. We are very delighted for example that when the chairman, when he first put on the chairmans house i guess if you will, that his first action was protecting Small Businesses. That was the order that extended protections for small firms, for an additional five years in the burdensome requirements embedded within the Net Neutrality rules. It has been a series of actions. Common sense actions that have supported by my members actions and reforms that they have long educated for all agencies. Those reforms have more transparency, inclusiveness, using actual Economic Data and analysis. To guide rulemaking. In actually listening. On a proactive basis to concerns of Small Business owners and entrepreneurs. To understand what the impact is going to be on their firms as consumers. Technology and telecommunications as well as players in the marketplace. As an organization promoted Small Business and entrepreneurship we are very concerned about the state of Small Business. They continue to struggle. They reached plateaus in terms of growth. We are very concerned about entrepreneurship. Because entrepreneurship remains very very weak in the us. In fact a gap analysis reports that was published by my chief economist is with us today found that because it was low over the last 10 years, that our economy is losing 3. 7, that is a lot. Job creation, innovation and the overall growth of the economy. But thankfully there are things that are changing. We will hear about tax reform today. That will create, help create the ecosystem that we need to encourage more Small Business and entrepreneurship. Todays world ip day so we are celebrating that. And protecting it is a critical piece of the ecosystem in terms of start of activity. And we need a regulatory system that is also very friendly. So that is why what chairman ajit pai and Michael Oreilly and derant on their front it really matters. Investment is key to innovation and bringing our Small Businesses and people who want to start businesses affordable highquality broadband. They can use the internet to start and compete in the marketplace in the location of their choice. We are very excited to hear your remarks about the net regulation. It will dictate the future of entrepreneurship in america. Again, we thank chairman pai and commissioner oreilly for the leadership. We look forward to working with them. We will hear a couple of remarks i believe from some stakeholders and friends of our organization. And Katie Mcauliffe is up next. She is the federal and executive director of digital liberty. Thank you everyone for being here. This is a really exciting day. A red letter day if you will. I would like to say first of all thank you to facebook. Com booktv and commissioner oreilly for everything you are undertaking for the remark and an open internet going forward. I want to be clear that no one is against Net Neutrality. We are against government take over the regulatory fiat with out input. That is a major problem. So moving forward, i just want to send it if you are for competition, your against title ii. In moving forward we are looking ahead to this open transparent process for something revolutionary to be able to comment in this way have time as we were not able to do before. So we are very excited at tax reform and digital liberty for the road ahead of us. Thank you. [applause] [inaudible] incorporated you katie. The American Institute is happy to be here with chairman pai and commissioner oreilly to talk about the internet. We know it flourished under light touch regulatory models. Despite all the evidence, and the many studies, billions of dollars of consumer welfare losses in many studies. The wheel of that Commission Voted to put the internet under the yoke of a 1934 law meant for a rotary Dial Telephone service. Since the regulations have taken effect, broadbent investment has declined. Broadband slowed negatively impacting consumers especially those in underserved areas. Aci looks forward to the commissions plans to right this wrong. So that consumers can benefit from increased investment and innovation that will fuel advances in telemedicine and other innovations and technologies. With that we have representative from the National Range . I will turn it over to you. [applause] thank you. Good afternoon. My name is betty huber. Im the president of the National Range. I am honored to stand alongside the chairman, Freedom Works and Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council to talk about the importance of this to our communities. For 150 years the National Grange has worked to make sure that all communities are able to benefit from the latest advancements in communication, technology and gain access to them. Today that is why we are committed to ensuring an open internet to connect all entrepreneurs from the Silicon Valley to the silicon prairie. We look forward to working with the chairman on his efforts to spur inclusive innovation that connects all of american citizens. Including those in the rural and smalltown communities. Now i would like to introduce mario lopez from the Hispanic Leadership fund. [applause] thank you betsy. Welcome everyone. Great to see everyone here. We are thrilled that you could be here for todays announcement. I am mario lopez president of the Hispanic Leadership fund. A Public Policy advocacy transport like many of our members i am a tech enthusiast. Im excited about all of the innovations in emerging technology. I am now on a personal level but also because of the transformative power the sector has in terms of creating jobs, Economic Growth and affording opportunities for all communities. Hispanic Leadership Fund believes that one of the primary Reasons Technology center has splurged is because it is been allowed to operate on a light touch regulatory environment. This approach with regulation served us well under the presidencies of both Democrat Bill clinton and republican george w. Bush. We believe it will work again to allow innovative ideas and Technological Solutions to improve the lives of working families across the countries. The Latino Community after all is heavy with Small Business growth. They start Small Businesses that are at a rate three times that of the general population. And our traditionally first adopters of technology relying on these technologies to improve their lives and seek education and other important areas. So we look at forward to see with the chairman have to say about the future of internet policy and we intend to work with him and his staff to ensure that all communities are served well with regulations. Thank you again. Now it is my pleasure to hand this to Garrett Johnson with the linkedin network. [applause] my name is Garrett Johnson. Im a cofounder of Lincoln Network. For those of you who are perhaps not familiar with Lincoln Network, since 2013 we have focused on building bridges between the Tech Community and government leaders in washington d. C. And across the country. But today i am not here speaking as a Telecom Policy expert. Or a lobbyist or a lawyer. I am none of the above. In 2011 i moved to Silicon Valley after company i started was accepted into we had to register as a common carrier with the fcc. Because we were improving communication between businesses and consumers. We had to complete five reports, useless reports per year that required over 50 hours of work according to an omb estimate. All of the company that i found it was acquired a year and and a half ago and my cofounders and i have been operational for the last six months. My cofounder on monday received a call from South Carolina regulators there asking for 20 in fees that were owed from 2016. Im just happy they dont have my number. [laughter] while jumping through the regulatory hoops we built a product that businesses wanted and paid for. We created jobs. We met payroll. Every day entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and across the country are fighting to build companies that might transform education. Transportation, healthcare and many other industries. Many are doing important work. But they are not superheroes. They are simply continuing a tradition of americans who pursue a dream. To solve problems. The tinker and experiment until something clicks. We all must work to preserve this tradition to ensure that people who grow up in the midwest and rural appalachia, lowincome neighborhoods like Belmont Heights florida where i am from have a shot at pursuing their dream. Whatever that might be. This is why lincoln works to connect policymakers and the Technology Community. As you all know the rate of different creations declining for the first thing in recent history. The Technology Community and government leaders must Work Together to reverse this trend and promote more assets. And more innovation. I believe in a free and open internet as i am sure you and most people would. But the process for getting to this outcome and how pools are enforced makes all the difference. The internet is not a monopoly. It has not experienced the market balance. The internet is always evolving and improving unlike our worded services. Transit or public utilities. Companies in order to stay relevant in the marketplace do work to provide consumers with faster speeds, new products and new services. In february of this year, nearly 200,000 californians where i live were forced to evacuate because of a collapsing down due two years of neglect. But some think it is a good idea to give the same Regulatory Authority over power grids and bridges and our waterways in the country to regulating the internet. I disagree. Government control of the internet and invariably leads to more taxes, numerate regulations, new fees and micromanagement. If the goal was to keep the internet open and free to promote more access and innovation, something we all agree with, it should not be managed or controlled the government. I am honored this afternoon to introduce someone who perhaps no more than any Single Person in the country today is shaping the future of technology policy. In january he was nominated by the president to be the next chairman of the federal communications commission. He took the helm of this important federal agency guided by a handful of principles. Consumers benefit from market competition. Not competitive or preemptive government regulation. Policymakers should be skeptical of any Technology Player convert increase regulation on their competitors. For any kind of special treatment. Federal regulations when they are needed, should be created to reflect todays technology. And todays dynamic marketplace. Rather than decades old regulations and industries. The fcc like other Government Agencies is bound by the laws created in congress. It cannot and should not be a super legislator. The fcc functions best, and this is critically important, functions best when policy is created through consensus and bipartisan buyin. He is a first generation american, a graduate of harvard university. The university of chicago law school. Ladies and gentlemen please welcome to the podium, chairman ajit pai. [applause] thank you garrett for sharing your inspirational story and perspective. Thank you for the kind introduction. Thank you to Freedom Works and the Small Business and entrepreneurship counsel for hosting us. Thank you to americans for tax return form, digital liberty, American Consumer is a jew, National Grange, Hispanic Leadership fund and the Lincoln Network for supporting the event. It is a pleasure to be at the museum this afternoon. Almost 5 years i have had the privilege of serving in the fcc. During the time ive had the chance to travel all across the country. And speak with americans from all walks of life. When it comes to highspeed Internet Access or broadband, i have found that there is far more that unites us than divides us. Whether i am ready america purple america or blue america. Whether i am above the Arctic Circle or in the buy used of louisiana. People tell me the same thing. They want fast, affordable and reliable internet. They said they want the benefits to come from competition. And they tell me they want to access content and use the Applications Services and devices of their choice. The question that we at the fcc must answer is, what policies will give the American People what they want . That question has been the subject of a fierce public debate. In this afternoon a new chapter of that debate will begin. Before looking to the future, i would like to briefly review how we got to where we are today. Put simply, the internet is the greatest freemarket success in history. And this is due in large part to a landmark decision made by president bill clinton and the Republican Congress and the Communications Act of 1996. That legislation they decided on a bipartisan basis that was the policy of the United States to preserve the vibrant and competitive free market that currently exists for the internet unfettered by federal and state regulations. For almost 2 decades the fcc respected that policy. It adopted a light touch Regulatory Framework when explicitly approved and one which enable the internet to and evolve beyond anyones expectations. Of the work a free and open internet flavors. The economy promoted some of the most Successful Online