House Judiciary Passes Net Neutrality Measure

HOUSE JUDICIARY PASSES NET NEUTRALITY MEASURE
[SOURCE: Reuters]
The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved legislation aimed at preventing high-speed Internet network providers from discriminating against unaffiliated services, content and applications. Content providers like Google, Microsoft and Yahoo have expressed concerns that they would be forced to pay Internet service providers extra to ensure consumers can access their content. The measure, approved by a vote of 20-13, would amend U.S. antitrust law. It would also counter a rival bill from another House committee that wants to encourage network providers to preserve consumers' ability to freely surf the Internet instead of adopting stricter rules. "The lack of competition in the broadband marketplace presents a clear incentive for providers to leverage dominant market power over the broadband bottleneck to pre-select, favor or prioritize Internet content over their networks," said Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI). "We are optimistic that the majority in Congress will see this legislation as an attempt to solve a problem that does not exist," said Tim McKone, AT&T executive vice president for federal relations.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=2006-05-25T211828Z_01_N24310259_RTRUKOC_0_US-INTERNET-CONGRESS.xml

* See Committee press release: http://judiciary.house.gov/media/pdfs/Ifreedomcmtepass52506.pdf

* House Panel Backs Net Access Bill
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-neutral26may26,1,5755997.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-business

* House panel votes for Net neutrality
http://news.com.com/House+panel+votes+for+Net+neutrality/2100-1028_3-6077007.html?tag=nefd.lede

* Judiciary Passes Net Neutrality Bill
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6338103?display=Breaking+News

* House Panel Approves Network Neutrality
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6338177.html?display=Breaking+News

* Net Neutrality -- aka "Saving the Internet"
http://www.creativevoices.us/php-bin/news/showArticle.php?id=156&PHPSESSID=9cd028afc264fa131527e9e378db2e3a

* Bipartisan Majority Supports Internet Freedom in the House
http://www.hearusnow.org/other/newsroom/internetbroadband/bipartisanmajoritysupportsinternetfreedominthehouse/

* House Judiciary Passes Net Neutrality Bill
http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/403

* Bipartisan Victory in the House
http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2006/05/25/bipartisan-victory-in-the-housebipartisan-majority-supports-internet-freedom-in-the-house/

* Statement from USTelecom
"We agree with the views expressed today in the House Judiciary Committee by the majority of Republicans and many committee Democrats who raised significant concerns about regulating the Internet in the name of so-called net neutrality. The committee members understand that this misguided and reckless legislation could hamper investment and innovation and limit consumer choice. We will continue to work with Congress to enact legislation that will bring real video competition to consumers."
http://www.ustelecom.org/news_releases.php?urh=home.news.nr2006_0525_1