Obama Is Threatening To Veto the GOP's Latest Assault On Net Neutrality (vice.com)

An anonymous reader cites a Motherboard article: President Obama has long been a vocal supporter of net neutrality. In a " Statement of Administration Policy" (PDF) released Tuesday, Obama signaled that he intends to veto Republican-backed legislation that open internet advocates say could eviscerate federal net neutrality protections. Earlier this year, a GOP-controlled House subcommittee approved the "No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Access Act," (H.R. 2666) which net neutrality supporters say could severely undercut the Federal Communications Commission's ability to police the nation's largest cable and phone companies. The House bill would "undermine key provisions in the Federal Communications Commission's open internet order and harm the commission's ability to protect consumers while facilitating innovation and economic growth," said the Obama administration's statement. "If the President were presented with H.R. 2666, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill."Please do, Obama.

Comments

Read the text of the bill

[_Sharp'r_]

Unlike some monstrosities, the text of the bill is short enough that you can read it and form your own opinion.

Here's the main part:
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Federal Communications Commission may not regulate the rates charged for broadband Internet access service.

Here are the exceptions:
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect the authority of the Commission to—
(1) condition receipt of universal service support under section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254) by a provider of broadband Internet access service on the regulation of the rates charged by such provider for the supported service;
(2) enforce subpart Y of part 64 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (relating to truth-in-billing requirements); or
(3) enforce section 8.9 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (relating to paid prioritization).

So basically, it ensures the FCC can't attack things like free service offerings and doesn't price-fix services to prevent competition.

Sounds like a great bill, whose only flaw is that is doesn't go far enough to prevent the FCC from regulating the internet, but it's a good start.