U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Joins Colleagues to Fight to Restore FCC’s Net Neutrality Rules

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, and 15 other Senators today announced their plan to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would undo today’s action by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and restore the 2015 net neutrality rules.

Today, the FCC approved an item that removes the 2015 Open Internet Order, which the D.C. Circuit Court upheld in 2016. The Open Internet Order prohibited internet service providers from setting up internet fast and slow lanes and ensured they could not block or slow down internet traffic.

“Today the FCC voted to roll back net neutrality rules and allow internet service providers to create an uneven playing field in the online marketplace for services and ideas,” said Senator Baldwin. “We must work to ensure that the internet does not become a two-tiered system, with fast lanes for some and slow lanes for others. Net neutrality is a principle that is at the heart of an accessible and free internet, and I believe we need to protect innovators, entrepreneurs and consumers and keep the internet open for everyone.”

The CRA resolution, led by Senator Markey (D-MA), would rescind FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s item and fully restore the Open Internet Order. CRA resolutions allow Congress to overturn regulatory actions at federal agencies with a simple majority vote in both chambers.  In accordance with the Congressional Review Act, the Senators will formally introduce the resolution once the rule is submitted to both houses of Congress and published in the federal register. Congressman Mike Doyle (D-PA) plans to introduce a CRA resolution in the House of Representatives.  

Along with Senator Baldwin, the CRA resolution was cosponsored by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Richard Blumenthal (D–CT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Gary Peters (D-MI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH).

A copy of the CRA can be found here.