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Senators Edward Markey and Ron Wyden plan to introduce a bill
this summer that would put broadband under the umbrella of a
telecommunications service, which means that providers would be
subject to stricter Federal Communications Commision (FCC)
oversight, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters.
Representative Doris Matsui is working on a companion House
version.
Markey's office in a statement said "it is more clear than ever
that broadband internet is an essential utility" and the FCC's
"authority should reflect that, so it can fulfill its
obligations to the public by reinstating net neutrality rules."
The Washington Post was first to report the potential bill.
Telecommunications companies, who are also major internet
providers, have been battling net neutrality efforts for more
than a decade, while major technology firms like Alphabet's Inc
Google and Meta's Facebook strongly back net neutrality
protections.
The FCC under former President Barack Obama adopted net
neutrality rules in 2015. They were overturned in 2017 by the
FCC under former President Donald Trump. California's
legislature responded by adopting a state law requiring net
neutrality in August 2018, which was on hold pending lawsuits.
The U.S. broadband industry ended its legal challenge to
California's net neutrality law in May, with a group of industry
associations that represents major internet providers such as
AT&T Inc, Verizon Communications and Comcast Corp dismissing
their 2018 legal challenge.
The FCC remains divided 2-2 because Joe Biden's nominee for the
final commission seat, Gigi Sohn, has not been approved and
faces an uncertain path to confirmation.
Supporters of net neutrality rules argue that the protections
ensure a free and open internet. Broadband groups contend that
the rules' legal basis from the pre-internet era is outdated and
discourages investment.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Writing by Diane Bartz; Editing
by Mark Porter)
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