FCC internet takeover faces potential roadblock

Thursday, December 23, 2010 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
Tags: FCC, net neutrality, health news

(NaturalNews) Just days after the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decided to essentially take over the internet, FOX News is reporting that a procedural delay could bring any new FCC rules to a grinding halt. Several Congressmen plan to take advantage of the 60-day waiting period required before any new rules can come into effect, and effectively block the new regulations.

Sens. John Ensign (R-NV) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) together are planning to introduce legislation to overturn the FCC's takeover before it can take effect two months after being published in the Federal Register. And according to FOX News, the FCC is set to publicly release the new rules in early January.

"This vote is an unprecedented power-grab by the unelected members of the Federal Communications Commission, spearheaded by Chairman Genachowski," explained Hutchison in a statement. "The FCC is attempting to push excessive government regulation of the Internet through without congressional authority and these actions threaten the very future of the technology."

The FCC flagrantly violated several previous court rulings by deciding on Tuesday to seize control of the internet. In a 3-to-2 decision, the FCC Commission essentially declared that it would begin policing the internet under the guise of "net neutrality", even though the agency cannot legally do so with approval from Congress.

Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), incoming overseer of the House Energy and Commerce Committte, has also indicated that he plans to stop the takeover "by any legislative means necessary." And with many new Republicans set to be installed in the new Congress, analysts say it is likely that any new FCC rules will eventually be overturned.

Sources for this story include:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240527...