Senate Democrats File Petition To Force Vote To Save Net Neutrality

Senate Democrats along with Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine have filed a petition to force a vote on a bill to protect net neutrality before June 12.

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Video of the Democratic announcement:

According to a statement provided to PoliticusUSA by Senate Democrats, ” With only one more vote needed in the Senate to pass a resolution to reinstate net neutrality rules, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) will enter the final stretch of the net neutrality fight by officially filing a discharge petition for a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval, setting up a vote on the Senate floor. All 49 members of the Senate Democratic caucus support the resolution, along with Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine). Since the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the repeal of the Open Internet Order in December 2017, Democratic Senators and net neutrality supporters have been convening events in communities across the country and strengthening grassroots momentum to repeal the partisan FCC decision. The deadline for a Senate vote on Senator Markey’s CRA is June 12th.”

This isn’t a token effort by Democrats. They know that they have both the public support and enough support in Congress to pass the legislation. The only thing standing in their way is Republican Congressional leadership.

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) said that this is not complicated. The majority is at the FCC is trying to build an Internet aristocrisy that puts the big corporations first. Wyden said that now is the time, and he urged people to begin a grassroots juggernaut for Markey Resolution.

Democrats need one more vote in the Senate to save net neutrality. Democrats are united, and out to the Internet equal, open, and free. Tiered Internet access will kill innovation and small business. The fight is on, as Democrats are one vote away from saving the Internet.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association