April 13, 2015, WASHINGTON — On Monday, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia introduced a resolution of disapproval to overrule the FCC's Net Neutrality order. Thirteen other Republican members of Congress joined Collins on the resolution.
Under the Congressional Review Act, Congress can review new rules issued by federal agencies. The rules are invalidated if both houses adopt a joint "resolution of disapproval” and it’s signed by the president. Congress has 60 legislative days from the date of the rules' publication in the Federal Register to pass the resolution.
Free Press Action Fund Policy Director Matt Wood made the following statement:
"Once again, some members of Congress have sided with the phone and cable lobby and against Internet users. But their campaign against the open Internet is all bluster. Egged on by industry lobbyists, these representatives think they can fool others in Congress and beyond to believe that Net Neutrality threatens investment and innovation in digital networks. They declare that it's a government takeover of the Internet when nothing could be further from the truth. Their recycled arguments have been so thoroughly debunked it's ridiculous that they continue to use them.
"What these members of Congress don't want you to know is that public polling shows that most Americans — including a large majority of Republicans — support Net Neutrality. It’s worth reminding our elected officials that public support for Net Neutrality protections is strong, including many of their own constituents. As some in Congress consider taking up this resolution, they'll hear from many people across the country who accept nothing less than real Net Neutrality protections."