The FCC is unilaterally giving up its net neutrality authority with little to replace it

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai’s strategy may be to use the repeal of network neutrality rules to force the hand of Congress. Those familiar with FCC deliberations say abdicating its net neutrality authority could pressure Democrats into cooperating with Republicans on passing a bill. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-SD) has offered to hammer out net neutrality legislation with Democrats in the past. 

If this is Pai’s strategy, it seems likely to fail. Congress has punted this question for years. Net neutrality legislation circulated in 2015 never made it to a vote, and the Telecommunications Act hasn’t been revised since 1996. Congress has failed to pass a single major piece of legislation since Trump assumed the Presidency 305 days ago, despite the GOP’s unified control of government. Few bi-partisan bills of consequence have seen the light of day. Net neutrality may prove to be yet another casualty of America’s spreading political paralysis.