Hutchison calls for Senate to repeal net neutrality

Senate Commerce ranking member Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) called for the Senate to repeal the Federal Communications Commission's net neutrality rules during a press conference on Thursday.

“If ever there was a ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ situation, it is this one. The Internet has flourished; it has created new products, new services, because it is open, because there hasn’t been a gatekeeper," Hutchison said.

"So now, the FCC in December came forward with a net neutrality rule to determine what’s reasonable and what isn’t. With such an arbitrary standard, companies are going to be forced to err on the side of caution."

Hutchison's called for the House to take up issue as one of the "Forgotten 15" bills passed by the House in aims of shoring up the economy and boosting job creation. The House passed a resolution to repeal the rules in April under the Congressional Review Act.

However that bill would require both Senate approval and President Obama's signature, with the latter considered particularly unlikely because net neutrality was part of Obama's campaign platform.

The rules prevent Internet service providers from discriminating between two similar sources of content. They already face a host of legal challenges from ISPs that argue the FCC overstepped its legal authority and public interest groups that want the rules to also apply to wireless broadband.

Hutchison argued the rules, which are scheduled to take effect on November 20, would stifle innovation and create barriers for firms looking to offer new services on the Web.

"Forcing broadband companies to say, ‘Mother may I?’ to the federal government is going to delay the implementation of the new products and services getting to the market; it’s going to increase costs to consumers. What’s good about that?" Hutchison said.

She said she expects a vote on the issue next week, but only because the Congressional Review Act requires an expeditied determination on resolutions of disapproval.

"Without that force, I guarantee you that the Senate would not be voting on it next week,” she added.