Dem lawmakers cheer net neutrality ruling

Democratic lawmakers cheered a court decision on Tuesday upholding the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) sweeping rules to ensure net neutrality across the web.

“Today’s decision will help ensure we don’t turn over our democracy to the highest bidder,” said presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) on Twitter.

{mosads}Sanders was joined by Capitol Hill colleagues in embracing the ruling, which is a major win for the Obama administration.

“We’re just learning that the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the FCC’s Open Internet rules,” Rep. Frank Pallone (N.J.), the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said at a Tuesday morning hearing. “I haven’t had time to review the court’s decision yet, but it seems it was a big win for consumers, and it puts the FCC’s privacy proposals on firm legal ground.”

In a later statement, Pallone said, “Now, after years of debate and unprecedented public engagement, the Court has affirmed the FCC’s strong consumer protection rules.

“This is a momentous step to legal certainty that the internet remains an open platform for everyone,” he said.

Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) hailed the ruling as well, calling it “a significant milestone for consumer protections on the internet.”

Some were more jubilant.

“The Internet will remain free and open for all!” tweeted Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.).

The federal court gave the FCC a victory on Tuesday morning by declining petitions filed by trade groups and companies looking to strike down the rules, approved last February and meant to protect the idea of net neutrality, or the principle that all traffic on the internet should be treated in the same way.

Republicans have tried to paint the regulations as an example of government overreach.

They were less quick to respond to the ruling on Tuesday. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s technology subcommittee, opened a hearing linked to net neutrality without mentioning the ruling, even as word of the decision rippled through the lobbyists and staffers in the room.

The case is likely far from over: AT&T indicated on Tuesday it expected the case to go to the Supreme Court and said it looked forward to being part of an appeal.