“With the net neutrality debate raging at the FCC, it’s easy to forgot that net neutrality remains an issue inside of Congress, too,” Jacob Kastrenakes reports for The Verge. “On the Senate floor today, Sen. John Thune (R-SD) asked net neutrality supporters on ‘both sides of the aisle’ to come work with him on a legislative solution.”
Congressional action is the only way to solve the endless back and forth on net neutrality rules that we’ve seen over the past several years. If my colleagues on the other side of the aisle and those who claim to support net neutrality rules want to enshrine protections for consumers with the backing of the law, I call on you today to join me in discussing legislation that would do just that. — U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD)
“Thune has supported the effort to pass net neutrality legislation for several years now, so his statement today is nothing new. But it shows that, even as Republicans are generally getting what they want from the FCC, there’s recognition that this won’t be the end of the debate. The only way to ensure that this process doesn’t happen all over again when the executive branch changes parties is to put a law in place,” Kastrenakes reports. “‘While we’re not going to agree on everything, I believe there is much room for compromise,’ Thune said. ‘So many of us in Congress already agree on many of the principles of net neutrality… if Republicans and Democrats have the political support to work together on such a compromise, we can enact a regulatory framework that will stand the test of time.'”
“While Thune has indicated his support for a net neutrality law, he also speaks quite favorably of the FCC’s current plan to get rid of the rules already in place, calling the Title II policies ‘burdensome’ and ‘onerous,'” Kastrenakes reports. “‘There is obviously immense passion that follows the issue of net neutrality,’ Thune said. ‘Americans care deeply about preserving a free and open internet, as do and I and so many of my colleagues here in the United States Senate on both sides of the aisle.'”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: There is a right way and a wrong way to do things. The former is harder, but lasting; the latter is quicker, but ephemeral.
Real net neutrality legislation is the solution to the FCC/FTC regulatory seesaw.
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