Senate Democrats filed a petition on Wednesday to restore the Obama-era net-neutrality rules recently scuttled by the Federal Communications Commission, which classified Internet-service providers as public utilities for regulatory purposes.
Democrats touted the 50 signatures currently on the discharge petition, enough to force a Senate floor vote on reinstating the rules but one vote short of passing the measure should it come to a vote.
“We are now one step away from allowing the American public to see where their elected officials stand on protecting Internet services,” Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said.
“This would fully restore the rules that ensure Americans aren’t subject to higher prices, slower internet, or even blocked websites,” said Senator Ed Markey (D., Mass.).
Tomorrow, the petition that allows @SenateDems to force a vote on my resolution to save #NetNeutrality will be officially filed.
A vote is coming. Spread the word.#OneMoreVote
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) May 8, 2018
Today we’re filing a petition to force a vote to save #NetNeutrality We need just one more vote, are your senators on this list? pic.twitter.com/keHftsWtoy
— Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) May 9, 2018
We are forcing a vote on #NetNeutrality because Americans deserve to know who is working for them in Washington and who is beholden to the whims of big corporations. pic.twitter.com/gVvJp2bUSA
— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) May 9, 2018
Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai’s Restoring Internet Freedom Order, which repeals the Obama-era Open Internet Order, was passed by the FCC in December, and the repeal kicked in late last month.
Critics of net neutrality said the Obama-era regulations imposed an undue burden on companies like popular streaming services, while backers argued that companies should not have so much control over the Internet.
“Following today’s vote, Americans will still be able to access the websites they want to visit. They will still be able to enjoy the services they want to enjoy,” Pai said at the time of the December vote. “There will still be cops on the beat guarding a free and open internet. This is the way things were prior to 2015, and this is the way they will be once again.”