The number of Senators who’ve put their support behind protecting net neutrality has reached 50.
Last week, Sen. Ed Markey (D) mustered support from 39 co-sponsors to force a vote in the issue. Today, that number has grown to 50 Senators, says the Free Press, including the entire Democratic caucus, several Independents, and Republican Senator Susan Collins (Maine).
The idea is to put the fate of net neutrality into Congress’ hands, rather than those of the FCC. With Collins siding with Democrats, the Republicans would need Vice President Mike Pence to break a tie in a vote. The FCC voted to repeal net neutrality last month.
“It’s no surprise that more Washington lawmakers are listening at last to the strong, bipartisan backing for net neutrality,” said Matt Wood, policy director at Free Press. “Constituents have already logged more than a million calls to Congress to reject FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s decision. Regardless of party affiliation, all members of Congress should stand with those who’ve elected them and restore the 2015 protections that give internet users control over their online choices.“
The order would reclassify broadband internet as an information service, rather than a utility, and would erase the bright line rules that prohibit throttling and blocking.
