WASHINGTON -- The Senate on Wednesday narrowly advanced a Democrat-led attempt to retain Net neutrality regulations, the first step in a bid to keep the online traffic rules on the federal books before their repeal takes effect in June.
The effort, which has built momentum in recent weeks, also is intended to elevate Net neutrality as a political issue in the fall elections.
Supporters portrayed themselves as defenders of the rights of Americans to unfettered access to the Internet by keeping protections in place that they said would prevent telecommunications companies from serving as gatekeepers for online content.
"This issue presents a stark contrast: Are you on the side of the large Internet and cable companies, or are you on the side of the average American family?" said Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.
"This is our chance, our best chance, to make sure the Internet stays accessible and affordable for all Americans," he said as the debate began.
But most Republicans opposed the effort, saying the regulations were potentially too onerous and that Democrats were trying to use the issue for partisan gains in November.
Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., called it a "highly politicized campaign" that was filled with "fear-mongering hypotheticals, misdirection and outright false claims."
"A free and open internet is a building block for the 21st Century and we must pursue ways to help it flourish," Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., said in a written statement. "However, net neutrality regulations are the wrong approach. Strong consumer protections from deceptive practices, including slowing promised internet speeds, can be implemented without the heavy-handedness of net neutrality."
The measure, approved by a 52-47 vote, would void a decision made in December by the Republican majority of the Federal Communications Commission to repeal the regulations established in 2015 by the agency when Democrats controlled it during President Barack Obama's administration.
The repeal is scheduled to take effect June 11.
All 47 Democrats voted to keep the rules in place. They were joined by the two independents who usually vote with them, Sens. Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, as well as three Republicans -- Susan Collins of Maine, John Kennedy of Louisiana and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
Collins announced her support in January, but Kennedy and Murkowski had been undecided. They were the focus of heavy lobbying by Net neutrality supporters in recent days.
Neither tipped a hand until they voted a few hours earlier Wednesday to move the measure past a procedural hurdle. Murkowski spent about 30 minutes on the Senate floor discussing that procedural vote with key Republicans and Democrats before making her decision.
Net neutrality supporters are using a legislative tactic, the Congressional Review Act, that allows lawmakers to block an action taken by a federal agency with a simple majority vote in the House and Senate and the president's approval. The measure cannot be filibustered in the Senate.
But the effort faces an uphill battle in the House, where Republicans have a larger majority, and at the White House, where President Donald Trump would be expected to veto the measure.
The Net neutrality rules prohibit Internet service providers from selling faster delivery of certain data, slowing speeds for specific content and blocking or otherwise discriminating against any legal material.
The regulations are strongly supported by liberals and online companies including Amazon, Netflix, Facebook and Google, and dozens of smaller Web-based companies.
Republicans said the regulations threaten heavy-handed government intrusion that would stifle innovation on the Internet. Telecommunications companies oppose the regulations.
Polls have shown strong public backing for Net neutrality. Democrats think the fight to restore the rules could be a political winner during November's congressional midterm elections even if the effort is unsuccessful, as it will force Republicans to record a vote against reinstating the rules.
That was evident Wednesday as Democrats paraded to the Senate floor to give speeches in support of Net neutrality while most Republicans were silent on the matter.
"We will take a stand to protect our online economy, or we will say goodbye to the Internet as we know it," said Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., the leader of the Senate effort.
He and other supporters of the rules argue that they will prevent AT&T Inc., Comcast Corp. and other Internet service providers from acting as gatekeepers for Americans' online access.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Wednesday that the solution was for lawmakers to draft Net neutrality legislation "that would safeguard consumers but still prevent regulators from stifling innovation."
A major objection about the Net neutrality rules was the FCC's decision to classify broadband as a more highly regulated utilitylike service under Title 2 of federal telecommunications law.
Although the FCC exempted Internet service providers from many aspects of that tougher oversight, such as rate regulation, opponents of the rules said the decision opened the door to onerous federal regulation.
Information for this article was contributed by Frank E. Lockwood of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Business on 05/17/2018