CUB Joins Net Neutrality Round Table and the Fight Continues
Posted on May 29, 2018 by Samuel Pastrick
Tags, Telecommunications, General Interest
Last Friday (May 25), Outreach Manager, Samuel Pastrick, joined a round table discussion about net neutrality organized by Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, and Multnomah County Library. Oregon House Majority Leader Jennifer Williamson, Multnomah County Commissioner Sharon Meieran, ACLU, AARP, the Oregon Library Association, small business representatives, and area high school students also attended the event.
First – a quick refresher: Network or “net” neutrality is a widely used term describing guiding Internet principles. The values upholding these principles – advocates like CUB argue – underpin the Internet’s founding, and they have largely shaped its functionality since the mid-1990s. In short, a network is neutral if the provider delivering Internet service treats Internet content, traffic, and customers fairly and without discrimination.
Net neutrality is back in the news because, on May 16, the U.S Senate took a step toward reinstating Obama-era “Open Internet Order” rules that the Trump-appointed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to repeal in December of 2017.
52 U.S. Senators – including Oregon’s delegation and long-time net neutrality supporters in Ron Wyden (D) and Jeff Merkley (D) – forced a successful vote to block repeal of the 2015 Open Internet Order. “Aye” votes from John Kennedy (R) of Louisiana, Lisa Murkowski (R) of Alaska, and Susan Collins (R) of Maine indicate the bipartisan nature of this issue and the influence of grassroots advocacy.
The vote on the measure required a simple majority because of a rarely used procedure called the Congressional Review Act (CRA). In an ironic twist of fate, Republicans in 2017 also used the CRA to dismantle separate FCC rules related to Internet consumer privacy.
While the May 16 vote sends an important signal, and has a laudable goal of undoing lousy decision-making on the part of the Trump FCC, the next step in the House of Representatives is challenging.
Unfortunately: Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, controls the flow of bills to House floor, and signals zero interest in holding a CRA vote on net neutrality.
Thankfully: Speaker Ryan may have no choice because 218 House Members signing a “discharge petition” can overrule his authority.
Unfortunately: Republican votes on even bipartisan issues like net neutrality are extremely hard to come by.
Thankfully: Over 160 of the needed 218 House Members expressed support for the vote as of May 25.
Unfortunately: Even if the CRA makes it to the House floor, such a vote is likely to fail. And if the House were to pass a same or similar measure – thereby reinstating provisions of the 2015 Open Internet Order – President Trump is expected to veto.
Thankfully: Regardless of what happens at the federal level, earlier this spring, CUB worked with Leader Williamson, and key allies in ACLU Oregon, to pass HB 4155 – legislation that protects Oregon Internet customers by requiring the state and other public bodies (cities, counties, etc.) to only contract with service providers that maintain neutral networks for their customers. CUB is proud of this effort, and anticipates further Oregon-specific legislative action on customer data privacy in 2019.
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09/05/22 | 0 Comments | CUB Joins Net Neutrality Round Table and the Fight Continues