US Senate Votes To Restore Net Neutrality Rules, But Don’t Break Out The Champagne Just Yet

FCC Ajit Pai
Supporters of net neutrality will be thrilled to hear that the U.S. Senate has voted to restore the net neutrality rules that the FCC announced that it would kill off back in April. A Senate vote was held today, and the Senators came down 52-47 to restore the net neutrality rules. The Senate vote was very close with all 49 Democrats voting to restore net neutrality rules along with three Republicans senators -- Susan Collins (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AK) and John Kennedy (LA) .

Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana said that his vote came down to whether he and others should trust the local cable company where most Americans get their web access.

"If you trust your cable company, you're going to support" the FCC's decision eliminate net-neutrality rules, Kennedy said. "If you believe as I do, that I trust everybody, but I still believe in verification — it's like I said in my campaign — I believe love is the answer, but back in Louisiana, I still own a handgun just in case."

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Kennedy added, "I just think there should be a free and open internet."

Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois said "the voices of the American people were heard" with the Senates vote. The rub for those Senators celebrating and others who are happy that the Senate wants to restore net neutrality is that the bill still must receive approval from the U.S. House and then get approval from President Donald Trump, neither of which is likely to happen.

This Senate vote was largely symbolic with little chance of actually restoring net neutrality. All the nay votes in the Senate were from Republicans with Sen. John McCain not voting as he is under treatment for a brain tumor.