Senate Democrats today used the Congressional Review Act to force a vote on net neutrality. The party has been pushing the issue for most of the year.
Sen. Ed Markey (D) has amassed a total of 50 supporters in the Senate, all 48 Democrats, one independent, and Republican Susan Collins of Maine. Democrats will need at least one more Republican to cross the aisle to halt the FCC’s repeal of net neutrality. See Washington State’s Sen Cantwell defend Net Neutrality at Press Conference below.
.The Congressional Review Act allows congress to recall legislation within a 60-day period of its enactment. The FCC’s changes to net neutrality became effective last month.
The forced vote may take place as soon as next week. Even if the vote is successful, the Senate bid would likely fail in the Republican-held House of Representatives and, more importantly, on the desk of President Donald Trump.
The main goal here is to force Democrats and Republicans alike to go on the record with what side of the issue they support. The Democrats will likely then use the results as fodder in the 2018 mid-term elections.
