House Dems make last-ditch push to delay net neutrality vote

A high-ranking Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee is leading a final plea to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to delay its vote on Wednesday to scrap the net neutrality rules.

{mosads}Rep. Mike Doyle (Pa.), the ranking Democrat on the Communications and Technology subcommittee, asked Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai in a letter on Wednesday to postpone the vote and remove the net neutrality item from the December open meeting agenda. 

The letter was also signed by 117 other House Democrats.

Several state attorneys general, Democratic FCC commissioners and even Republican Rep. Mike Coffman (Colo.), have also asked Pai to postpone the vote.

The FCC rejected previous calls to delay the vote and will likely not change its position on the matter.

The agency is expected to vote in favor of scrapping net neutrality rules in a 3-2 vote along party lines, favoring Republicans.

The rules were originally approved in 2015 under Obama-appointed FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, and were designed with the intention of creating a level playing field on the internet by preventing internet service providers from slowing down, blocking or charging more for certain types of content.

Pai and other Republicans have defended their decision to get rid of net neutrality rules, arguing they have excessively regulated internet providers. Pai and company believe that by removing the rules, they’ll lay a foundation that leads to increased broadband investment.