“We will soon lay down a legislative marker in the Senate in support of net neutrality to show the American people that we are on their side in ... supporting a free and open internet,” Sen. Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) stated.
His comments came the same day that the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments about the legality of the Federal Communications Commission's decision to repeal the Obama-era net neutrality rules.
Those regulations classified broadband access as a utility service and imposed some common carrier rules -- including prohibitions on blocking or throttling traffic, and on charging higher fees for prioritized delivery.
Markey, who has long advocated for open internet rules, said Friday that the FCC “ignored” the Communications Act and Congress's intent when it repealed the rules. “They are on the wrong side of history, and I believe the court will find in our favor,” he stated.