On Wednesday, Rep. Doris Matsui hosted a forum on Net Neutrality in Sacramento featuring FCC Commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel. The meeting was packed with Net Neutrality supporters and it quickly became a standing-room-only event. But Commissioner Rosenworcel’s statement really stood out to those of us who have been following this issue.

“I believe the FCC must find a way to put open Internet policies back in place,” she said. “We cannot have a two-tiered Internet with fast lanes that speed the traffic of the privileged and leave the rest of us lagging behind. So as we look for a way forward, I am pleased that Chairman Wheeler has recently acknowledged that all options, including Title II, are on the table.”

Reclassifying broadband providers under Title II is the only way to protect the open Internet. More than 3.7 million people have commented at the FCC on Wheeler’s flawed Internet rules and the overwhelming majority of them say that reclassification is the way to go.

Commissioner Rosenworcel’s remarks show that someone powerful at the FCC is listening. Now we need Chairman Wheeler and the rest of the FCC to listen closely — and follow through.

Because what the FCC does next will impact everyone, not just those who engage in policy debates in D.C. “It’s good the FCC is hosting Internet roundtables back in Washington, but we should be open to more than discussion inside our building inside the Beltway,” she said. “Because this is big — really big.”

We couldn’t agree more. It’s been over five years since all five FCC Commissioners left Washington in an official capacity to meet with the public. And while we also believe that the Internet roundtables are a good start, they are no substitute for true public engagement. Congressional field hearings like the one Rep. Matsui held Wednesday are welcome additions to the debate, but don’t offer the public enough of an opportunity to weigh in.

Back in August, we delivered thousands upon thousands of signatures calling for field hearings from the FCC. Since then, there has been no shortage of invitations pushing the FCC to host these kind of discussions. You can even call for a hearing in your own community.

At Wednesday’s forum, Commissioner Clyburn also acknowledged that the FCC needs to listen to voices outside the Beltway. We hope both she and Rosenworcel accept the invitations they’ve received to participate in public hearings. And we hope they will accept nothing less than real Net Neutrality when Wheeler’s plan comes to a vote.

Original photo by Flickr user House Energy & Commerce Committee