This move was significant because the FCC is an independent agency that has been at odds over what has turned into a partisan issue: net neutrality. The FCC has been criticized for issuing last year what some call rules of the road for how broadband providers develop policies for allowing traffic on their networks. The order and report is “In the Matter of Preserving the Open Internet Broadband Industry Practices”. FCC Chairman Genachowski was simultaneously praised and criticized along partisan lines for the release of the order and report. Chairman Walden’s current legislation has numerous provisions, including the requirement to “[e]nhance consistency and transparency in the Commission’s operations by requiring the FCC to establish and disclose its own internal procedures for:
- Adequate review and deliberation regarding pending orders,
- Publication of orders before open meetings,
- Initiation of items by bipartisan majorities, and
- Minimum public review periods for statistical reports and ex parte communications.”
It was not surprising that the same week Senator Rockefeller, chairman of the Commerce Committee, issued a press release praising the Majority party efforts to strike down legislation aimed at overturning the FCC open Internet order.
One thing that’s clear is that the open Internet issue is yet to be resolved and we should expect to see more chess pieces moving on the board.
