Rep. Walden To Use CR To Try and Block Net Rules

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Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), chairman of the House
Communications & Internet Subcommittee, Tuesday pledged to introduce an
amendment to the continuing resolution (CR) that would block the FCC from using
any funds to implement the network neutrality rules.

That came in a speech to the National Association of
Regulatory Utility Commissioners Tuesday in Washington. The CR is the stopgap
appropriations legislation that allows the government to keep running
until Congress can approve an appropriations bill, so it is a must-pass
bill. The current CR runs out Mar. 4.

That move by Walden would be in addition to his and other
top Republicans' plans to block the rules long-term via a Resolution of
Disapproval under the Congressional Review Act.

According to a Walden spokesperson, amendments are due by
the end of the day Tuesday.  Walden is holding a hearing Wednesday on the
network neutrality rules, which were approved by the FCC Dec. 21 over strong
Republican objections.

John Eggerton
John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.