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Republicans vote against FCC regulation
Apr 16, 2016 2:20 pm
Jon Brodkin at Ars Technica reports that The U.S. House of Representatives voted largely on party lines 241-173 April 15 to gut the Federal Communications Commission's authority to regulate Internet providers. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler says the "No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Access Act" bill could prevent the FCC from enforcing net neutrality rules against blocking and throttling. Republicans continue to insist, despite all proof, that the FCC's vote last year to reclassify Internet providers as common carriers and enforce net neutrality rules would require traditional rate regulation for broadband. But, Republicans say, we can tell the Democrats want to tax the Internet, even if they say otherwise. U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) told the Associated Press April 15, "We all know that what they'd like to do is regulate the Internet so they can tax the Internet, so they could then come in and set all the rates." Free Press Action Fund Policy Director Matt Wood said April 15, “Don’t believe a word the House Majority leadership says about this bill. It’s really about giving massive broadband providers the ability to gouge Internet users with impunity." The White House says President Obama will veto the bill if it passes the Senate. Read the full story at Ars Technica.