House Democrats Wednesday passed a measure to revive an Obama-era policy that would give the government the authority to regulate the internet like telephone companies.
Democrats promised to restore “net neutrality” rules since the Trump Administration reversed them in 2017.
The measure passed 232-190. Now it heads to the Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called it “dead on arrival.”
House passage marks the measure as a top priority if Democrats are able to reclaim the Senate majority or the White House at some point.
It’s a popular issue with the progressive base, who believe government oversight of the internet will ensure equal treatment of all users without allowing service providers to play favorites.
Polls show voters favor equal treatment by internet service providers, although support shrinks for government oversight.
Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., introduced the Save the Internet Act, which would reinstate the Feb. 26, 2015, vote by the Federal Communications Commission that reclassified the internet as a public utility.
Under the change, internet service providers were required to serve all internet traffic equally.
Republicans have introduced several measure aimed at ensuring internet service providers do not use such tactics as “throttling” or access changes such as paid prioritization.
The GOP argued over the course of two days of debate that government oversight will stifle innovation that has been critical to the industry’s advancement. Republicans say the 2015 Federal Communication ruling led by an Obama appointee who was chairman of the panel slowed investment by internet companies.
“Following the 2015 order to regulate the internet, internet investments declined for the first and only time in U.S. history outside of a recession,” Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., said. “I’ve heard that these regulations have hindered their ability to expand service to rural populations. This is particularly concerning as underserved areas already face extreme challenges to gaining access to broadband. Reinstating these stifling regulations would only further increase the digital divide between urban and rural America.”
The various GOP authored measures aimed at ensuring equitable internet access would prohibit the government from classifying the internet as a utility, a main goal of the Democratic measure.
“They call it the heavy hand of government, we say it’s the Federal Communications Commission that should be able to enforce the law against throttling, blocking and paid prioritization,” Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., said. “It’s as simple as that. They don’t want a cop on the beat.”
