The House of Representatives voted on Thursday to overturn proposed rules that bar Internet service providers from blocking legal content, a rule called “net neutrality” that carriers generally oppose and content creators and consumer advocates generally favor.
An identical measure was introduced in the Senate by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Commerce ranking member Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas.
Communications subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) offered the amendment, which passed in a 244 to 181 vote.
“However, the amendment is simply a stop gap measure while we work towards passing a more permanent solution,” Rep. Walden said. “I would encourage everybody who cares about keeping the government out of the business of running the internet to cosponsor the Resolution of Disapproval, H.J.Res. 37, which would nullify the rules themselves.”
The FCC passed net neutrality rules by a 3-2 vote in December, to the dismay of large telcos like AT&T and Verizon Communications. Verizon filed suit against the action by arguing the FCC doesn’t have the legal authority to implement the rules. MetroPCS also filed a lawsuit against the FCC.
Jeffery Brown on the News Hour reviewed the December FCC decision.
Today’s resolutions to eliminate the Net Neutrality provisions were introduced on the same day that all five FCC members appeared before Walden’s subcommittee to defend their party-line vote in December approving the rules, which are aimed at barring broadband providers from discriminating against Internet content, applications or services.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said (pdf)
…”I believe that preserving Internet freedom and openness is essential to maintaining American leadership in the technologies that rely on the Internet, as well as this nation’s role as a beacon for political freedom and free expression around the world. And I believe that a sensible open Internet framework promotes significant private investment throughout the broadband economy, both by companies creating Internet content, applications, and services and by those providing the wired and wireless broadband networks and infrastructure…”
“However, the amendment is simply a stop gap measure while we work towards passing a more permanent solution,” Rep. Walden said. “I would encourage everybody who cares about keeping the government out of the business of running the internet to cosponsor the Resolution of Disapproval, H.J.Res. 37, which would nullify the rules themselves.”
In debate on Thursday, Republican Representative Steve Scalise said the rule would stand in the way of innovation and kill jobs.
“We think the FCC overstepped their boundaries,” he said. “This is something that should be done and solved in the halls of Congress.”
But Democratic Representative Edward Markey said killing the rule would squash innovation. He said regulators have in the past stepped in to ensure competition — as they did when AT&T fought the sale of telephones made by other companies to replace their black rotary telephones.
The amendment was attached to H.R. 1, the continuing resolution that defines how the federal government will spend its money during the fiscal year. After the Republican-controlled House has passed H.R. 1, it will go on to the Democrat-controlled Senate, which could reject Walden’s amendment. Differences between the House and Senate versions of the spending bill will need to be resolved before it goes to President Barack Obama for his signature.
