In a surprising vote Wednesday, the Senate voted to restore the Net neutrality policies previously repealed by the FCC, thanks to a handful of Republicans joining Democrats in a last-ditch effort. Three Republicans, Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Kennedy (R-LA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) proved instrumental in the Senate's 52-47 vote. Senate Democrats had pushed for a vote to enact the Congressional Review Act, or CRA, to halt the Federal Communications Commission's rollback of Obama-era rules governing the open internet. Well, they got the vote Wednesday, and it went their way.
That means the FCC has a new hurdle in its efforts to abolish the rules. The agency has said the 2015 net neutrality rules will finally come to an end on June 11, after they voted last year to abolish the rules against heated opposition from Democrats and numerous tech companies. After the vote, the FCC showed little indication the Senate vote will change its thinking on net neutrality. The Senate vote marked one of the last chances to save net neutrality, but its success doesn't mean the battle is over. Beyond the Senate, the CRA needs approval from the House of Representatives and President Donald Trump. Considering that FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who spearheaded the repeal of the rules, is a Trump appointee, it's unlikely Trump will support the CRA.
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