Lacking GOP Support, Network Neutrality Bill Dies Before Introduction

Over the past several weeks, House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Rick Boucher (D-VA) and House Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) have sought to reach bipartisan agreement on legislation that would protect and promote an open Internet.

The efforts were supported by groups that have long been at odds on this issue: phone and cable companies, technology companies, and consumer and open-Internet groups. Our proposal was designed to be an interim measure to protect net neutrality while Congress considers a permanent solution.

It contained four key consumer protections that would:

• Restore the FCC's authority to prevent blocking of Internet content, applications, and services, which was struck down by the court in the Comcast decision;
• Prevent phone and cable companies from unjustly or unreasonably discriminating against any lawful Internet traffic;
• Prohibit wireless broadband providers from blocking websites, as well as applications that compete with voice or video conferencing, while preserving the FCC's authority to adopt additional safeguards under its existing authorities; and
• Direct the FCC to issue transparency regulations so consumers know the price, performance, and network management practices of their broadband providers.

Under the proposal, the FCC could begin enforcing these open Internet rules immediately - with maximum fines increased from $75,000 to $2,000,000 for violations.

And the approach would provide the phone and cable companies with protection from the threat of reclassification for two years. Under this proposal, both sides would emerge as winners. Consumers would win protections that preserve the openness of the Internet, while the Internet service providers would receive relief from their fears of reclassification.

This legislative initiative was predicated on going forward only if we had full bipartisan support in our Committee. We included the Republican staff in our deliberations and made clear that we were prepared to introduce our compromise legislation if we received the backing of Ranking Member Barton and Ranking Member Stearns. With great regret, I must report that Ranking Member Barton has informed me that support for this legislation will not be forthcoming at this time. The bottom line is that we must protect the open Internet. If Congress can't act, the FCC must.