House Republicans Offer a Trio of Net Neutrality Bills

Republicans signaled that they are offering up at least three versions of legislation that would reimpose network neutrality rules, but without doing so under Title II common carrier regulations they argue are a relic of the monopoly phone days. Democrats weren't jumping to embrace the bills while activist groups said those legislative efforts were, at best, woefully lacking and at worst fake efforts promoted by broadband industry lobbyist "shills." The bills are the Open Internet Act of 2019, introduced by Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH), ranking member of the House Commmunications Subcommittee, a revival of a bill from Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), former chair of the full House Commerce Committee, based on a bill offered up in 2015 by Sen. John Thune (R-SD) (then chair of the Senate  Commerce Committee) and Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI),; and one from Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) based on a Washington state net neutrality bill.