Republicans say the FCC rules amount to government overregulation of the Internet. GOP moves to cut net rules funding

House Republicans are trying for a second time to kill the FCC’s net neutrality rules by denying enforcement funding.

The House Appropriations Committee released a draft of its FY12 Financial Services Appropriations bill Wednesday with language that would prohibit money for the agency’s Open Internet Order.


Republicans say the FCC rules amount to government overregulation of the Internet. But net neutrality supporters were quick to criticize the GOP’s move.

“The legislation the majority wrote would allow the largest telecommunications companies to reshape the Internet in their own image, favoring some and disadvantaging others,” Public Knowledge President Gigi Sohn said in a statement.

The provision is likely to meet the same fate as an identical amendment the GOP put forward earlier this year.

After rigorous floor debate, the House passed the continuing resolution budget bill with the net neutrality amendment attached. But the effort died after President Barack Obama vowed to veto it.

Senators are poised to push their own anti-net neutrality measure. But they must wait for the rules to be published in the Federal Register which has yet to happen.

David Quinalty, a Republican telecommunications aide on the Senate Commerce Committee, recently told POLITICO that it remains a top priority.

This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 4:50 p.m. on June 15, 2011.