House Passes Bill Attempting to Gut Net Neutrality The House has voted 241-173 to approve a bill that would not only prevent the FCC from enforcing its new net neutrality rules, but would prevent the FCC from doing much of anything. The GOP's No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Access Act" (pdf) was presented as a bill that would prevent the FCC from regulating broadband service rates. However, a closer examination of the bill's language indicates that it uses an overly broad definition of "rate regulation" to prevent the FCC from enforcing much of anything.

That obviously would include not only the new net neutrality rules, but the FCC's attempts to encourage municipal broadband, open the cable set top box to competition, and new broadband privacy rules for consumers. Still, the bill's supporters claim they're protecting the Internet from a Federal government run amok. The bill's chief sponsor, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, (R-IL), called it "a great first step in preserving the Internet as free for future generations." Similarly, House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology chair Greg Walden said the bill was an "essential step in having a vibrant internet ecosystem that prompts and promotes new jobs and investment." Consumer and net neutrality advocates however state these lawmakers are just yelling "how high" to ISP demands to jump -- especially if they're eager to continue receiving telecom sector campaign contributions. Large ISPs like Comcast, AT&T and Verizon are obviously tired of an FCC that's been decidedly more consumer friendly than it has characteristically been over the last twenty years. The bill ultimately won't matter much, given that the White House has stated that it The bill ultimately won't matter much, given that the White House has stated that it plans to veto it should it reach the President's desk. There's only two real ways for ISPs to gut net neutrality and FCC authority moving forward: either elect a new President willing to gut the FCC and its rules, or win the ongoing lawsuit against the FCC (a ruling in which is expected any day now).







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Most recommended from 71 comments

winstars

join:2011-06-17

US 33 recommendations winstars Member Black is white and up is down for these jerks...



I try to leave my politics at the door here but WTF!!! Both parties ARE NOT THE SAME apparently.



Tea Partiers are supposed to be populist but they are in the pockets of big companies.



I guess the FCC is in the pockets of those damn.....CONSUMERS!!!



Check how your representative voted, although you probably do already:



»www.govtrack.us/congress ··· 016/h152 Please note 0 Republican's voted against this POS bill. 5 stupid Dems did vote yes somehow...I try to leave my politics at the door here but WTF!!! Both parties ARE NOT THE SAME apparently.Tea Partiers are supposed to be populist but they are in the pockets of big companies.I guess the FCC is in the pockets of those damn.....CONSUMERS!!!Check how your representative voted, although you probably do already:

Eddy120876

join:2009-02-16

Bronx, NY 1 edit 20 recommendations Eddy120876 Member Republican house=No consumer friendly This was bound to happen. When ever the Whitehouse has a competitive idea so that telcos play fair, here comes the Telcos Defense force Aka the House of Republican horrors. Those guys don't even care to do their dirty dealing on the side. No they prefer to say screw you consumer my donor/owner is against it so screw you we are going to blocks it and create a worse bill for you.

dean corso

human.exe

join:2007-09-07 17 recommendations dean corso Member A government owned by big money Does what big money wants. Net neutrality will inevitably be a concept of the past. All bow to our corporate masters.



Vote them out.

w0g

o.O

join:2001-08-30

Springfield, OR 12 recommendations w0g Member guys this feud is a class war if the republicans win, their company's to which they invest in, will increase their rates and make more money giving them all bigger bonuses and pay checks (also like kickbacks/bribes).



but if some protections are put into place, some of that money goes into investment of the infrastructure and company itself, and rates may be lower, and that money is kept in the hands of the mass population instead.



so rather than the rich getting the money, the poor end users will have it.



why invest in the republicans nut case proposals?

pende_tim

Premium Member

join:2004-01-04

Andover, NJ 7 recommendations pende_tim Premium Member The Best Politicians that money can buy.

KrK

Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy

Premium Member

join:2000-01-17

Tulsa, OK 4 recommendations KrK Premium Member Well, you know how to vote in November..... .... against anyone who supports this. If the GOP takes the Presidency and controls all three branches of Government then it's R.I.P. for anyone other then the big oligopolists.