[Libs-Or] Fwd: [District Dispatch] Amendments and hearings and joint resolutions - oh my! Net neutrality’s week in review

[Diedre Conkling]

Amendments and hearings and joint resolutions – oh my! Net neutrality’s week
in review <http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=5708>
February 23, 2011 ( No
Comments<https://mail.google.com/mail/html/compose/static_files/blank_quirks.html#comments>)

Last week was a rough one for network (net) neutrality supporters,
especially in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Following the introduction
of the President’s 2012 budget request, the House swung into gear offering
up a number of budget-reducing amendments, including one from Rep. Walden
(R-OR-2) that would bar the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from
using any funds to implement its net neutrality order.

Meanwhile, a couple U.S. House subcommittees got busy holding hearings on
net neutrality. The  House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on
Communications and Technology called all five FCC Commissioners to testify
at their hearing<http://energycommerce.house.gov/hearings/hearingdetail.aspx?NewsID=8255>titled
“Network Neutrality and Internet Regulation: Warranted or More
Economic Harm than Good?”  The ALA, along with the Association of Research
Libraries (ARL) and EDUCAUSE, weighed in by sending a
letter<http://energycommerce.house.gov/hearings/hearingdetail.aspx?NewsID=8255>to
House leadership, expressing opposition to using the Congressional
Review
Act or any other legislation to overturn or undermine recently enacted net
neutrality rules passed by the FCC.   And the library and higher educations
organizations were not alone –  our letter was joined by several
others<http://democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?q=news/organizations-unite-in-opposition-to-republican-efforts-to-block-new-open-internet-rules>in
support of net neutrality, ranging from small businesses to Catholic
bishops.  The day before, the U.S. House Judiciary’s Subcommittee on
Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet held its own
hearing<http://judiciary.house.gov/hearings/hear_02152011_2.html>titled,
“Ensuring Competition on the Internet: Net Neutrality and
Antitrust.”

By midweek, Senate republicans joined in on the action and introduced a
joint resolution (S.J. Res. 6), along with their colleagues in the House
(H.J. Res. 37), disapproving the net neutrality order approved by the FCC.
Then, in a flurry of activity in the House leading up to the vote on H.R. 1,
the Continuing Resolution (CR) for the budget, the anti-net neutrality
amendment offered by Rep. Walden passed.

So, where does all this leave the issue of net neutrality? For one thing,
the House Republicans have clearly voiced their dislike of net neutrality
and have taken several different legislative approaches to pull the plug on
the FCC’s order and its ability to enforce it – at the same time punting the
issue over to the Senate.  While the House action on net neutrality wasn’t
all that surprising (even anticipated, quite honestly), it is less clear
what the issue’s fate might be in the Senate.  While the Senate Democrats
hold the majority, it will take all acting in unity to ultimately support
net neutrality when it comes time to vote.

A complete list net neutrality-related activity during the 112th Congress is
available here<http://ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/telecom/netneutrality/recenthistory/index.cfm>
.

Corey Williams
<cwilliams at alawash.org>Associate Director, Office of Government Relations
http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=5708

-- 

*Diedre Conkling
Lincoln County Library District
P.O. Box 2027
Newport, OR  97365
Phone & Fax:  541-265-3066
**Work email:  **diedre at lincolncolibrarydist.org*<diedre at lincolncolibrarydist.org>
*  NEW**
Home email:  **diedre08 at gmail.com* <diedre08 at gmail.com>
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