Late last week , the U.S. House of Representatives O.K. a budget bill that included a prohibition on the Federal Communications Commission enforcing net disinterest prescript , but it ’s unreadable whether that provision will survive .
The Republican - control House voted early Saturday to approve the so - called continuing resolution , a short - term budget bill that would allow the federal government to go beyond March 4 , when funding approval expires . The measure , which includes $ 61 billion in cuts to the Union government ’s budget , includes anamendment that would bar the FCC from using fundingto implement net disinterest rules the agency approved in December .
But on Tuesday , Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , a Nevada Democrat , say he plan to acquaint his own short - term budget that would extend federal support at current story for 30 Clarence Day . Some lawgiver have suggested they would prefer to exclude down the government activity rather than via media .
The duel budget bills leave a mirky time to come for the net disinterest provision . Some counselor in the last disinterest argumentation see picayune chance the provision will endure ; others are n’t so certain .
“ It ’s unlikely in the extreme that the net disinterest supplying in the continue resolution will make it through the Senate , and we have listen no indicant that it would be used as a bargaining chip , ” said Kamilla Kovacs , communications director at the Media Access Project , an advocacy group in favour of strong nett disinterest rules . “ Key Senate appropriator have express to us that they powerfully play off the measure . ”
But the supply may find some keep in the Senate , said Claude Chafin , spokesman for Representative Marsha Blackburn , a Tennessee Republican and critic of the FCC ’s final neutrality rules . Ten Democrats joined Republicans in voting for the nett neutrality amendment .
“ I would suggest that the FCC ’s unilateral annexation of jurisdiction over the Internet has given many member pause , ” he said . “ It is fair to assume that sentiment bear over to the Senate as well . Mrs. Blackburn believe the FCC amendment can subsist in the Senate . ”
Critics of the FCC rules have said they are unnecessary ordinance of the Internet that could hurt investment in broadband . The rule nix broadband provider from selectively halt or slow up Web traffic and applications .
Art Brodsky , communications manager for last neutrality patron Public Knowledge , called the House supplying “ terribly ill-conceived , ” but he would n’t prefigure that the Senate would down it . “ Everything is on the table , ” he said .
It ’s hard to presage what will happen in the come days , append Randolph May , President of the United States of the Free State Foundation , an antiregulation think tank . “ It is certainly potential that in an endeavor to happen a compromise that deflect a politics closure , the cut - off of government funds will become a bargaining chip , ” May suppose . “ And it is potential to visualise a scenario in which the Senate Democrats accede to the House cut - off , or vice versa . ”
A continuing answer would , at the longest , preserve government financial backing until Sept. 30 , after which the 2012 financial year budget lead off , May noted . “ This is only an former , and relatively minor , skirmish in a longer war , ” he say .
Tom Lenard , another critic of net neutrality rules , questioned if the House provision will survive .
“ It ’s utilitarian for the House to make clear-cut that it believes the FCC has overstepped its say-so with the net neutrality rule , whether or not this provision makes it through , ” say Lenard , chairman of the Technology Policy Institute , another antiregulation think tank . “ It very well could end up being used as a bargaining chip but I recall it is unlikely to make it into the final budget . ”
