Friday, November 11, 2011

Senate Rejects GOP Bid to Overturn Net Neutrality Rules

Senate Democrats on Thursday turned back a Republican attempt to repeal federal rules designed to prevent Internet service providers from discriminating against those who send content and other services over their networks.

Republicans argued that "net neutrality" rules announced by the Federal Communications Commission last December were another example of federal regulatory overreach that would stifle Internet investment and innovation.

But Democrats, and the White House in a veto threat, said repealing the FCC rules would imperil openness and freedom on the Internet. "It would be ill-advised to threaten the very foundations of innovation in the Internet economy and the democratic spirit that has made the Internet a force for social progress around the world," the White House said.

The vote to against taking up the bill, along party lines, was 52-46.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/11/10/business/AP-Internet-Rules.html?_r=1