Sources: Republicans Sitting On Bill Blocking Net Neutrality Efforts
Decision came after Genashowski reached out to them about their concerns
John Eggerton -- Multichannel News, 9/23/2009 4:12:59 PM
A group of top Republicans is stepping down, for now, from their attempt to quickly block FCC Democrat efforts to codify and expand network neutrality principles.
That is according to both a Senate and FCC source, confirming a report by The Washington Post's Cecliia Kang.
The decision to sit on the proposed amendment came after FCC Chairman Julius Genashowski reached out to them about their concerns. "Basically, the chairman's people reached out and said they wanted to meet and address some of [the Senators,] concerns," said that source, who asked to speak on background. "In recognition, we agreed to hold off, temporarily." An FCC source confirmed the chairman had reached out to the Senators.
But the Senate source said the legislators, led by ranking Senate Commerce Committee member Kay Bailey Hutchison, reserved the right to proceed with their plans if they did not like what they heard.
Only hours after Genachowski had announced the plan Monday, though it had been telegraphed in news reports the Friday before, Hutchison, joined by a five other Republican senators, had said they would try to add an amendment to an appropriations bill blocking funding of any network neutrality effort.
It's likelihood of success was not high, but the fact that they were trying to add it to a bill that needs to pass in the next week or so showed they were seriously unhappy, as did Hutchison's statement that the new rules were unnecessary regulatory intervention that could stifle investment.
Joining Hutchison in the effort were John Ensign (R-Nev.), Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), David Vitter (R-La.), Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and John Thune (R-S.D.).
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