House votes to stop FCC funding for net neutrality

By Cecilia Kang

House Republicans voted on Thursday to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from using funds to carry out net neutrality regulations created last December.

The vote was on an amendment to the continuing resolution introduced earlier this week by Communications and Technology subcommittee chairman Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.).

Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and John Ensign (R-Nev.) on Wednesday introduced a similar amendment aimed to knock down the FCC's rules that prohibit Internet service providers from blocking or arbitrarily slowing traffic on their networks. Ultimately, the amendment needs to pass both chambers and not be vetoed by President Obama.

“We all want an open and thriving Internet. That Internet exists today. Consumers can access anything they want with the click of a mouse thanks to our historical hands-off approach,” Walden said in a release. “I am pleased that my colleagues in the House accepted my amendment to ensure the FCC does not have the funds to implement the controversial Internet regulations.”

Source: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2011/02/house_votes_to_stop_funds_for.html