Senate bill to preserve net neutrality wins first GOP backer

A Senate bill that would stop the Federal Communications Commission’s effort to repeal net neutrality has won its first Republican backer on Tuesday, with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) throwing her support behind the effort.

“Senator Collins does not support the FCC’s recent decision to repeal net neutrality rules, and she will support Senator Markey’s legislation that would overturn the FCC’s vote,” a spokeswoman, Annie Clark, said in a statement to The Hill.

“She believes that a careful, deliberative process involving experts and the public is warranted to ensure that consumers have strong protections that guarantee consumer choice, free markets and continued growth.”

The move was first reported by the Bangor Daily News.

{mosads}The bill, which is being pushed by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), would use a legislative tool called the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the FCC’s vote last month to scrap the popular Obama-era rules.

Democrats have promised to use the CRA’s procedural mechanisms to force a vote on Markey’s bill, putting the heat on Republicans during a midterm election cycle.

Assuming all Democrats are on board with the legislation, they will still need one more Republican in order for it to pass the Senate. And even if that happens, the bill would have another uphill battle in the House.