House Dems Still Seeking Support For Net Neutrality Bill

ISPs supportive of language, open Internet advocates likely to oppose

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/28/2010 1:51:58 PM

According to sources, House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) Tuesday continued to work on lining up a bipartisan consensus for a network neutrality bill that would give the FCC sufficient authority to enforce open Internet principles to satisfy key Democrats, while foreclosing the Title II reclassification proposal that is a total nonstarter for industry.

The bill would clarify that the FCC has the authority to expand and codify network openness principles, subject to reasonable network management, but would not apply all of them to wireless broadband. The FCC would also be authorized to enforce the principles on a case-by-case basis.

ISPs are said to be supportive of the language in the draft bill, but some open Internet advocates are likely to oppose anything short of reclassification.

It was looking like a bill could be introduced Wednesday, though that would provide scant time for any action before a lame duck session as legislators are trying to exit by the end of this week to campaign.

It is possible a bill could pass on unanimous consent in the House, but that is likely as far as it could go before the elections, and even that is a long shot.

A Commerce Committee spokesperson had not returned a call for comment at press time.