The Hopper: Net neutrality

Among the hundreds of House amendments offered to the fiscal 2011 continuing resolution (HR 1), “network neutrality” or “net neutrality” emerged as one of the hot-button issues last week.

The House agreed to an amendment from Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), chairman of the Energy and Commerce’s Communications and Technology Subcommittee, that would prohibit funding for the Federal Communications Commission’s recent regulations pertaining to ensuring non-discrimination by broadband Internet access providers.

Regulation of the Internet is the root of the net neutrality debate — if the companies that provide broadband and other Internet services should be subject to certain federal rules.

The debate isn’t new, but it is gaining more attention. Here are some bills and resolutions that address the issue:

* H J Res 37 is another measure from Rep. Walden, and has a companion measure in the Senate, S J Res 6, from Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas.) These are joint resolutions disapproving the rule submitted by the FCC regarding the Internet and broadband industry practices. Both were introduced on Feb. 16.

* HR 96 is the Internet Freedom Act and was introduced on Jan. 5, by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.). The bill would prohibit the FCC from further regulating the Internet.

* HR 166 is the Internet Investment, Innovation and Competition Preservation Act and was introduced on Jan. 5, by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.). The bill would prohibit the FCC from regulating information services or Internet access services — absent a market failure.

* S 74 is the Internet Freedom, Broadband Promotion and Consumer Protection Act of 2011 and was introduced on Jan. 25, by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). Her legislation takes an opposite stance from the above bills, and would further expand regulation. The bill says it would “preserve the free and open nature of the Internet” and “promote universally available” broadband service. On introducing her bill, Cantwell said she did not think the FCC’s new rules were “bold enough.”

None of these measures, beyond Walden’s amendment, have seen floor consideration.

Stacey Skotzko covers legislation for CQ.