Net Neutrality Died Last Year. But The Fight's Just Begun.
December 15, 2018
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made the controversial choice to rescind net neutrality rules one year ago today—and much has happened since then as lawmakers and advocates attempt to reverse that decision.
Since the FCC’s vote, which was down party lines, with Republicans voting to scrap the rules and Democrats voting to keep them, there have been online protests, in-person meetings with lawmakers, lawsuits against the agency, and probes into fake comments. Meanwhile, states have enacted their own net neutrality laws, and an effort in Congress is underway to use a mechanism that would reverse the decision.
Here’s a reminder of all of the things that have happened in the year since the FCC’s decision.
Net neutrality repeal one year later
Congress and net neutrality
Both chambers of Congress have taken up an effort to reverse the FCC’s decision by using the Congressional Review Act (CRA). The CRA is a mechanism that Congress can use to overturn federal agencies’ decisions within a certain time-frame. If a CRA effort passes in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the president would then need to sign it.
The effort was seen as a long-shot by many critics, but there has been some momentum.
In May, Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) launched a CRA effort in the Senate to save net neutrality. During the vote, several Republicans broke ranks to vote in favor of it, pushing it to the House.
Read more at Dailydot