Posted on 12/21/2010 3:42:42 PM PST by NoLibZone
Less than an hour after the Federal Communications Commission approved net neutrality rules, Republican lawmakers began staking their claim in the next potential leg of the debate: repeal.
The first calls to roll back the FCC's new net neutrality order came Tuesday from the House's most senior Republicans: House GOP Leader John Boehner of Ohio and Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia, as well as the incoming leaders of the chamber's top tech and telecom committees.
The members each threatened to limit the agency's funds or restrict its jurisdiction in the aftermath of the FCC’s vote, with Boehner proclaiming the "new House majority will work to reverse this unnecessary and harmful federal government power grab next year."
Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), soon-to-be chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, later elaborated to reporters Tuesday afternoon that he plans to bring all five commissioners before the panel to discuss net neutrality at "the first hearing out of the box" next year. He even signaled the possibility that Republicans may pursue repeal through the Congressional Review Act — an avenue that allows members to reject agency rules without threat of filibuster, provided they can secure a majority support against net neutrality.
Joining Upton's calls for strict scrutiny and eventual repeal were Reps. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), Lee Terry (R-Neb.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). Walden, who will soon lead the House's top tech subcommittee, stressed the need to rebuff any FCC "power grab that'd allow the commission to regulate" other areas of broadband. Blackburn also floated the possibility of blocking agency funds for use on net neutrality, adding: "You will see activism on each of these levels."
Congressional furor follows Tuesday’s 3-2, party-line vote on Genachowski's plan to adopt basic net neutrality protections for broadband networks. The order will prohibit Internet service providers such as AT&T, Verizon and Comcast from blocking access to lawful content and websites. It also prohibits traditional wired broadband providers from unreasonably discriminating against any traffic, though there will be no similar rule in place for wireless providers.
Following the vote, the chairman said he was ready to take on any criticism.
"We adopted today a strong and balanced order that has widespread support and that focuses on the importance of Internet freedom," he said. "It's a strong and balanced order and I look forward to speaking about it with anyone who is interested.”
Some Democrats hail the FCC's vote on Tuesday as the next step in ensuring that high-speed Internet networks remain open. Supporters included Sens. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, Mark Warner of Virgnia, Rep. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Doris Matsui of California.
President Barack Obama also backed the FCC, saying the decision is “an important component of our overall strategy to advance American innovation, economic growth and job creation.”
But those statements of approval may not be enough to stave off critics already interested in undoing Genachowski's work as early as next month.
Other Republican leaders also sounded off Tuesday against the FCC's net neutrality order — including Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who first signaled during a floor speech that he and others in his party would "push back against new rules and regulations." Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), ranking member on her chamber's Commerce Committee, signaled she would revive her efforts to derail the FCC's latest move.
Terry, meanwhile, told POLITICO the vote "certainly sets our agenda for the Energy and Commerce Committee," as he and others, including Upton, plan to discuss their next steps very soon.
"The first thing we'll do is call Julius up and have him explain himself, we need to study the proposal, and then we'll draft legislation to undo it," he said in an interview.
"We'll use everything available to us — so yes, we'll use Appropriations, we'll use the legislative process," he continued. "This is really a war against Congress. ... this is a power grab by an agency almost to unheard of levels. So we have a constitutional obligation to fight this order to the death."
Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), who will lead the Energy and Commerce oversight subcommittee, also joined his GOP colleagues in vowing to heavily scrutinize the agency if it ever moved forward with Genachowski's proposal.
"I will exercise strong oversight on the FCC on this and other issues," Stearns said in a statement Tuesday.
"Also, working with Chairman Walden, we will outline that Internet regulation is out of the FCC's jurisdiction and that regulation will hamper economic growth and job creation," he added, noting he too would pursue a resolution of disapproval next year.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46685.html#ixzz18n9TsoOU
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46685.html#ixzz18n9KIx39
They’ll do no such thing. They’ll pass some irrelevant crap that they’ll claim fixes the problem when the way to really fix the problem is stop funding the FCC until they yell mercy.
One more thing, how do you repeal something that was never made a law?
We ain’t stupid.
I’ve thought about this issue and I think that it basically boils down to who do you fear less: ISP’s or the government?
I don’t fully trust ISP’s but I trust them more than I trust the government.
To say that ‘net neutrality’ is a good thing is to postulate that government wants more free speech and that free enterprise is trying to squelch speech.
All of recorded history does not support that postulate
Yea, there is a backbone in the Republican Party! Good for them and the American people want to see A LOT more of this next year. Drag those power hungry agency bureaucrats / tyrants before Congress and slash their budgets so they can’t do as much damage.
One more thing, how do you repeal something that was never made a law? I would suggest arresting and taking those who participate in defying the Constitution to be tried and made to pay a price.
Using attitude to skin the cat?
Skinning a cat that has attitude?
IMHO the cat should be fed to a dog with attitude.
Within 5 minutes after the ruling was announced I fired off faxes to Snowe and Collins asking them what actions they were going to support to undo this. If I ever get an answer I'm sure it will be nonsensical mush.
YAY!
GETTING SOME BACKBONE!!!
If ISPs are free of government management controls, ISPs will be free to provide whatever it is the customer wants. If people don't like throttling, or whatever fad comes around next year, so long as customers can go to a provider who'll give 'em what they want and are willing to pay for, that'll be better, and spells F R E E D O M!
HF
“Good on them.”
Some of them heard us after the last election.
Cut those funds to the bone and make them reverse this decision.
Sounds great, but the GOP is always great with the tough talk. Let's see what happens when they get control of the House and media attention is onto the next story. My prediction is they'll do nothing and hope the public forgets.
Repeal everything leftist, asap! Even better.
I won’t hold my breath.
What can happen?
People will start using MF'er MORE than now ?
1. Are you aware of any circumstance in which a common carrier has abused their position in this regard? I'm not. The FCC is proposing a solution for which there is no problem.
2. Are you aware that a federal judge has already decided against the FCC having any authority to undertake this step? Yet, they are doing it anyway. What does that suggest?
3. Nonetheless, in ostensibly blocking the power of the common carriers to conduct censorship, the FCC has accrued the power for itself. Why would they want that, do you suppose?
Hugo Chavez has only talked about taking this action in Venezuela. The FCC just beat him to it.
This. Is. A. Power. Grab.
Nothing less.
It is not a law, it is a ruling by the FCC.
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