It's good to have a parliamentary master like Reid backing this, because the Republicans and the telecoms are going to fight back hard:
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is putting his weight behind regulators' attempts to police the Internet like a utility.
Reid is "in favor of" net neutrality rules under Title II of the 1934 Communications Act, he said during a press conference on Tuesday. Title II of the law outlines rules for "common carrier" utility services such as traditional phone lines.
President Obama and many other Democrats have encouraged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to enact those rules — which they are expected to do at a meeting later this month — but the endorsement from Reid will serve as another boost for Democrats on the commission.
Reid has previously said that he supports strong net neutrality provisions but has declined to specifically endorse Title II rules, which have been politically controversial. Republicans who have been critical of the move say that it would allow the FCC to regulate the Internet with an iron fist, which could lead to higher fees and worse service for consumers.
The statement from the Senate's top Democrat also poses a hurdle to Republican efforts to write net neutrality legislation that explicitly prohibits the FCC from enacting utility-style rules for the Web, while also instituting some new restrictions for Internet service providers such as Comcast or Cox. Democrats have so far resisted endorsing the legislation and instead have urged the FCC to proceed with its action.
In the meantime, FCC Chair Tom Wheeler made it official with a statement released by Wired, and tweeted out this message:
It’s time to put in place rules to preserve the #OpenInternet that has become an indispensable part of our daily lives. #TitleII
— Tom Wheeler (@TomWheelerFCC) February 4, 2015
