Legislation to restore the net neutrality rules has garnered enough co-sponsors to
come to the Senate floor.
The bill, proposed by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts), would revoke the Federal Communications Commission's so-called "Restoring Internet Freedom" order, which was
passed by a 3-2 vote in December. That order revoked regulations that prohibit broadband carriers from blocking or throttling traffic and from charging higher fees for prioritized delivery.
Markey's bill, a Congressional Resolution of Disapproval, needed at least 29 co-sponsors to force a vote in the Republican-controlled Senate. It had only garnered 28 co-sponsors as of last week. On
Monday, the bill garnered the support of seven additional co-sponsors, guaranteeing that the Senate will vote on the proposal. The measure won't be voted on until after the FCC sends the final order
to Congress, which hasn't happened yet.
Polls have shown broad consumer support for open Internet principles. Last June, Mozilla reported that a survey it conducted with Ipsos found that 81%
of Democrats and 73% of Republicans support net neutrality principles. A separate poll conducted this year found that 60% of registered voters (61% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans) support net
neutrality rules.
Despite the apparent public sentiment in favor of net neutrality, observers doubt whether the Republican-controlled Congress will pass Markey's bill. But net neutrality
proponents say they want Congress to vote on the measure despite the challenges.
"Every member of the U.S. Senate will have to go on the record, during a tight election year, and either vote
to save the Internet or rubber stamp its death warrant," Evan Greer, campaign director of Fight for the Future, stated Monday. "Any lawmaker foolish enough to be on the wrong side of history by voting
against the free and open Internet will regret it come election day.”