In a narrow 52 - 47 curl callvotetoday , the US Senate passed a joint resolution to reverse the Federal Communication Commission ’s ( FCC ) conclusion to roll back Obama - era net disinterest rule that have govern the net since 2015 . The move will essentially nullify the “ Restoring Internet Freedom Order ” published by the GOP - reign FCC inFebruary .
Senate Joint Resolution 52officially disapproves the FCC rule under theCongressional Review Act , allow Congress to undo any rules recently make by Union federal agency .
The Senate ’s approval is only one-half of the fight , and theoddsmay not be in the net ’s favour . The settlement will now move to theRepublican - majorityHouse chamber , where more than one-half of its 435 congressman must okay it . Then it head to President Trump ’s desk for his signature , which will move the resoluteness into law .
allow ’s be clean here : The vote does n’t save net disinterest just yet , but it does put a big swiftness protrusion in the route to its repeal . SR-51 is a last - ditch effort of sorts by Democrats to repeal the repeal of net disinterest from going into effect in June . Three Republicans – Senators Susan Collins of Maine , John Kennedy of Louisiana , and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska – broke from party railway line in support of the firmness of purpose .
The whole shebang begin back in December when the nation ’s top media regulatorvotedto repealrulesthat prevent Internet help provider ( ISPs ) from treating certain content otherwise . While specific vary from country to country , nett neutralityensures that ISPs and authorities - run representation handle all legal site as and are approachable . Repealing last neutrality convention basically reclassifies ISPs as “ information Service ” instead of “ public utilities ” – such as phone or galvanizing services – which is currently regulate by the FCC . Under the new rule , agencies will no longer have a insurance from stopping Internet providers from blocking , slowing down , orcharging morefor certain substance as they see fit .
Wednesday ’s vote might not halt a lot of gumption when it come to upholding last disinterest , but advocatesarguethat it ’s a footstep in the right counsel and a move meant to get the theme back on the mind of voter . What has become clear is that regulating nett neutrality is displace aside from the FCC and under the watchful middle of Congress .
