Advocates Welcome New Push for ‘Incredibly Important’ Net Neutrality Bill

Open internet advocates on Monday celebrated news of soon-to-be-unveiled legislation that “would reclassify broadband as a telecommunications service,” exposing industry giants to stricter federal oversight.

“This bill is incredibly important right now,” said Evan Greer, director of the advocacy group Fight for the Future, in a statement that noted the proposal comes as the Senate has stalled its confirmation of net neutrality defender Gigi Sohn, President Joe Biden’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) nominee.

The Washington Post reported Monday that Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) are spearheading the fight for the forthcoming Net Neutrality and Broadband Justice Act, and Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) intends to introduce the House version.

According to the newspaper:

While the two-page bill is seemingly simple in scope, it would have massive implications in addition to reinstating net neutrality, the rules that bar internet service providers from blocking or throttling content. It would shift how aggressively the FCC can regulate issues like internet pricing, consumer privacy, and competition in the broadband market.

Wyden spokesperson Keith Chu took aim at Ajit Pai—the FCC commissioner under former President Donald Trump—stating that the ex-agency leader’s 2017 “rollback of net neutrality was a huge loss for competition and privacy” and the senator “still believes that net neutrality is the foundation of an open internet that works for everyone—not just Big Cable and big incumbents.”

Greer on Monday also highlighted the “disastrous repeal” under Pai and welcomed that the senators’ bill would give the FCC “the authority it needs to restore net neutrality and address the digital divide.”

“The Covid-19 pandemic has made it more clear than ever that broadband internet is a necessity, not a luxury,” she said. “The FCC is supposed to ensure everyone has affordable access to broadband and prevent telecom companies from abusing their monopoly power or charging unfair fees.”