Senate Democrats Force a Vote To Restore Net Neutrality (theverge.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and 32 other Democrats have submitted a new discharge petition under the Congressional Review Act, setting the stage for a full congressional vote to restore net neutrality. Because of the unique CRA process, the petition has the power to force a Senate vote on the resolution, which leaders say is expected next week. The Congressional Review Act allows Congress to roll back regulations within 60 legislative days of introduction, a process that today's resolution would apply to the internet rules introduced by FCC chairman Ajit Pai in December. Pai's rules reversed the 2015 Open Internet Order, which had explicitly banned blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization by internet providers. To successfully undo the Pai order and restore the 2015 rules, today's resolution would need a bare majority in both the Senate and the House, as well as the president's signature.

Comments

Re:This is how you win votes.

[un1nsp1red]

If that's how they think they can win votes, by holding useless votes, then power to them.

Well, the house voted 50+ times (and failed) to repeal the ACA during the last administration. Now we've got Trump and the GOP owns both houses. Maybe it works?

Re: This is how you win votes.

[MachineShedFred]

Actually it's incredibly different. A Net Neutrality continuance is something that is overwhelmingly approved by the public, across party lines. However, it's not an issue that actually gets anyone other than the most fervent advocates to actually support, or reject, a candidate.

In contrast, ACA repeal votes were highly partisan and thus not as well supported throughout the electorate, but was an issue that people cared enough about to cause candidates to earn / lose votes.

There's more than one dimension to most political issues, which is why pollsters not only ask if you support an issue, but also ask how likely a stance on that issue is to change your vote towards a candidate / party. Example: lots of people care about flag burning too, but a very small quantity of voters make a decision based on if a candidate supports / rejects a constitutional amendment against flag burning.