GOP lawmakers Blast FCC Broadband Move
June 17, 2010
| 2:04 PM
As the Energy and Commerce Communications Subcommittee began discussion Thursday of a draft bill for building a national interoperable broadband network for public safety use, a few GOP lawmakers couldn't help but comment on an item being debated a mile away at the FCC's headquarters.
While the subcommittee held its hearing, the FCC was holding a public meeting on FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski's proposal to reclassify some aspects of broadband as a telecommunications service. This so-called "third-way" plan is aimed at providing the FCC with authority over broadband providers, which was put in doubt in the wake of an appeals court ruling last month. It "would enable continued leadership on communications policy and Internet freedom, while doing nothing [that] would leave the U.S. virtually alone in the world in not having tools to protect broadband competition and consumers and preserve Internet freedom and openness," Genachowski said.
The FCC voted Thursday 3-2 to begin collecting comments on Genachowski's proposal.
Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, some GOP member lamented the FCC's actions and called for a hearing on the proposal.
Energy and Commerce ranking member Joe Barton, R-Texas, said he was "deeply disturbed" by the FCC's actions, saying the move toward reclassifying some aspects of broadband as a telecommunications service under Title II of the Communications act is "misguided" and goes against the intent of Congress. A majority of members of Congress, including some Democrats, have signaled their opposition to Genachowski's plan.
Communications Subcommittee ranking member Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., said Genachowski's plan to "treat broadband similar to a public utility will hurt investment and hurt innovation."
And Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., expressed "disappointment in what is transpiring at the FCC as we speak." She added that this "short-sighted effort" will stifle innovation, cost jobs and result in the FCC's "takeover the Internet."
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