GOP Fails To Block Net Neutrality

A last-ditch GOP attempt to block the FCC's coming rules on net neutrality has failed in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats narrowly defeated the measure by a vote of 52-46. Politico notes that the president had promised to veto the bill.

It is unclear whether Senate Republicans intend to attempt a related resolution in the future. A similar measure by House Republicans sailed to victory in April. The Senate outcome Thursday is largely symbolic: Even Republicans had recognized the White House would likely veto any effort to roll back the FCC’s work on net neutrality, a threat the administration made formal this week. But Republicans in the upper chamber, led by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), never backed down in their war. With more than 40 original co-sponsors, the GOP held on to the resolution for months, waiting for the FCC to publish its rules through official channels, so that GOP lawmakers could fast track their measure to the floor while avoiding a filibuster.

As more internet providers are gobbled up by major content providers such as television networks, many fear that web speeds will be throttled when customers attempt to access content owned by the competitors of their ISP. The FCC rules outlaw such actions. And as usual, the GOP sided with corporations over consumers.