WASHINGTON, DC — ColorOfChange.org, a national online advocacy group focused on the concerns of black Americans, lauded Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski’s decision Thursday to reassert the FCC’s statutory authority to regulate broadband Internet for the public good.

“Genachowski made the right decision for everyday Americans who rely on the Internet for basic communication, commerce and civic engagement,” said ColorOfChange.org executive director James Rucker.

“The Internet is too critical a public resource to let corporations be the sole determinants of its future development.” Genachowski’s ruling comes on the heels of a massive wave of public pressure in support of tighter regulation of Internet service providers.

Adding to the pressure were the voices of more than 53,000 ColorOfChange members who last week filed public comments in support of Network Neutrality and broadband reclassification. And just this week, members placed more than 500 telephone calls to the White House urging President Obama to protect a free and open Internet.

Earlier this year, Rucker briefed members of Congress on the importance of Network Neutrality for communities of color.

“While the fight for Net Neutrality is far from over, this is an important first step which signals the FCC’s commitment to an inclusive digital future,” Rucker added.