By By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable Online, 5-16-18
With the help of three Republicans, the Senate has voted by a slim margin to nullify the FCC‘s effort to deregulate internet access, but it still faces an up-Hill battle that most observers believe will ultimately not be won.
The vote on the Congressional Review Act (CRA) joint resolution (SJ Res. 52) was 52 in favor. The “ayes” included the votes of all 47 Democrats, two independents who caucus with them and moderate Republicans Susan Collins (R-Me.), John Kennedy (R-La.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).
Once Kennedy’s vote was cast – he had been one of the swing votes – passage appeared certain.
The FCC voted Dec. 14 to eliminate the rules against blocking, throttling and paid prioritization. The rollback takes effect June 11 unless it is nullified by Congress.
But the CRA, a way for Congress to reverse agency decisions, now heads to the House, where it would need to secure more Democratic votes (it had 160 at last Democratic count) plus a couple dozen Republican votes, which is highly unlikely. » Read More