After nearly a year of lobbying on both sides of the FCC’s proposed repeal of net neutrality protections, tech companies and internet service providers await an FCC ruling Thursday to determine the fate of plans opposed by roughly eight out of 10 Americans, polling suggests.

Nearly 100 quarterly reports filed by those who lobbied the FCC this year cite the words “net neutrality” or “internet freedom.”

The reports represent at least 18 telecommunications companies, trade organizations and conservative advocacy groups who lobbied the FCC in opposition of net neutrality. Collectively, the organizations have spent $110 million in federal lobbying this year.

Another 24 groups have lobbied the FCC to maintain its existing net neutrality protections, including tech companies and web content providers such as Amazon, Facebook and Twitter. Together, this coalition spent just over $39 million.

Both sides of net neutrality sought to influence the FCC while simultaneously dumping $6.5 million into the campaigns of both Republicans and Democrats. (The figure includes contributions to candidate committees and their leadership PACs from individuals and political action committees).

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Since January, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) has received the largest contribution from pro- and anti-net neutrality groups ($100,800), according to CRP’s analysis of campaign filings, split almost equally between entities that support and oppose net neutrality

The second highest Republican recipient was Oregon Rep. Greg Walden ($88,700) who was greeted this summer in his home district with billboards criticizing his harsh critique of the FCC’s initial 2015 ruling on net neutrality. More than 83 percent of those contributions came from entities that oppose net neutrality.

The groups who have lobbied the FCC this year in support of net neutrality have contributed a combined $5 million to 484 current members of Congress. Contributions aren’t directly donated by corporations, but rather from employees and their family members as well as from corporate PACs.

Those seeking to overturn the FCC’s ruling in favor of deregulations – specifically, internet service providers, such as Comcast, Verizon and AT&T – have contributed roughly $1.5 million to 273 members of Congress.

Of the 535 members of Congress, 495 (or 93 percent) have received campaign contributions from groups who lobbied the FCC on net neutrality. Those members included 265 Republicans, 228 Democrats and two Independents – Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine.



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