Momentum Builds to Restore Net Neutrality Rules Gutted by the FCC

WASHINGTON — On Friday, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer pledged to bring a bill to the floor to undo the Federal Communication Commission's recent repeal of Net Neutrality protections. Since the Thursday FCC vote, 20 senators pledged to back the “resolution of disapproval” — a proceeding authorized under the Congressional Review Act, which requires simple majority votes in the House and Senate to void a new regulation passed by federal agencies.

Sen. Ed Markey (D–Massachusetts) drafted the Senate resolution. Rep. Mike Doyle (D–Pennsylvania) has pledged to introduce a companion measure in the House once the FCC rules are made official. Doyle led a letter with 117 other members of Congress urging the FCC to drop its plan to undo the 2015 Open Internet Order, which restored Net Neutrality safeguards under Title II of the Communications Act. In the past month, more than a million people have called Congress to urge lawmakers to stop the FCC from undermining the open internet protections.

Free Press Action Fund President and CEO Craig Aaron made the following statement:

“Momentum is building against Ajit Pai and the Trump FCC. The best thing for Congress to do right now is pass a resolution overturning the FCC’s actions and restoring the strong rules and clear authority we had prior to yesterday’s vote. If you’re a senator or representative who claims to care about Net Neutrality, then you should co-sponsor this legislation.

“Congressional offices have been deluged with calls from constituents opposed to Chairman Pai’s scheme to hand control of the internet to the likes of AT&T, Comcast and Verizon. That’s why so many lawmakers are speaking out in favor of Net Neutrality, while others have gone into hiding.

“Over the past few weeks, Net Neutrality has gone from an obscure tech issue to a powerful political one. And support is bipartisan: Republican and Democratic voters alike want real Net Neutrality. The latest polls show that 83 percent of Americans already oppose what the FCC did yesterday — and the rest are waking up to what the agency has taken away.”