FCC to vote to restore net neutrality later this month

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plans to vote to restore net neutrality later this month. With Democrats finally holding an FCC majority in the final year of President Biden’s first term, the agency can fulfill the president’s 2021 executive orders and restore Obama-era rules that the Trump administration repealed at the FCC in 2017.

The FCC plans to hold a vote at its April 25 meeting. Under Title II of the Communications Act, net neutrality treats broadband service as an important resource, giving the FCC greater power to regulate the industry. It allows the agency to prevent anti-consumer practices by Internet service providers, such as unfair pricing, blocking or restricting content and providing “fast lanes” for paid Internet access.

Democrats waited three years to enact Biden’s 2021 executive order to restore net neutrality rules passed in 2015 by President Obama’s FCC. The confirmation process of Biden’s FCC nominee Gigi Sohn as the telecommunications regulator played a big role. She withdrew her nomination in March 2023 after what she said was a “callous, dishonest and cruel attack”.

Republicans (and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin) opposed her confirmation through a lengthy 16-month process. Telecommunications lobbying money has flowed freely during this period, and Republicans have cited Thorne’s past tweets critical of Fox News, as well as backlash from law enforcement, as reasons to block confirmation. Democrats finally regained their FCC majority with the swearing-in of Anna Gomez in late September, as Biden nears the end of his third year in office.

“This pandemic has proven once and for all the importance of broadband,” FCC Chairman Rosenworcel wrote in a press release. “After the previous administration relinquished authority over broadband services, the FCC was unable to take action actions to fully protect broadband networks, protect consumer data, and ensure the Internet remains fast, open, and fair. Restoring the FCC’s popular, court-approved net neutrality standards will allow the agency to once again become a strong force in the open Internet. Strong consumer advocate.”