On Wednesday the Senate passed a bill meant to reinstate the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) net neutrality rules – but although the Democrats managed to get the necessary votes in the Senate, the chances for doing the same in the House are slim.
According to Reuters, the Wednesday win was managed by an obscure legislative rule known as the Congressional Review Act (CRA). CRA bills allow Congress, with a majority vote in each chamber and the President’s signature, to overturn recent agency moves.
However, even if the CRA passes the House, it’s not likely that President Donald Trump will sign it.
Senators Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and John Kennedy were the three Republicans that joined the 49 Senate Democrats in order to pass the bill with 52-47.
Democrats argue that without the net neutrality regulations, which require internet service providers to treat all web traffic equally, companies such as Verizon and Comcast will be free to discriminate against certain content or boost their partner websites.
Although the chances to reinstate the rules are almost nonexistent, Democrats consider the issue as a potential political rallying point for the midterm elections.
“A key question for anyone on the campaign trail in 2018 will now be, ‘Do you support net neutrality?'” Democratic Senator Ed Markey, who introduced the bill, said in a press conference after the vote.
Meanwhile, Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai criticized Democrats for their “scare tactics”, adding that his proposal is meant to correct the FCC’s regulatory overreach during the Obama administration.
“It’s disappointing that Senate Democrats forced this resolution through by a narrow margin,” Pai said in a statement. “But ultimately, I’m confident that their effort to reinstate heavy-handed government regulation of the internet will fail.”
The Democrats would need 25 Republicans to cross the aisle in the House and join a discharge petition in order to bring it up for a vote.
Be the first to comment