Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) promised Democrats would force a vote in the Senate to restore net neutrality rules, and within a few weeks, enough Democrats signed on to do just that. Under the Congressional Review Act, Congress can repeal rule-making by agencies by means of resolutions of disapproval. They’ve been used in the past year by Republicans to get rid of most everything good the Obama administration accomplished in 2016, and now Democrats are going to turn the table.
Of course, since the Democrats are in the minority by 2 votes (51 Republicans, 49 Democrats/Independents), if the vote is along party lines, we will lose. But that doesn’t matter. It matters whether Democrats take a stand and force Republicans to vote with their corporate donors. As of yesterday, Democrats have the necessary 30 votes to force a vote on the Resolution of Disapproval under the Congressional Review Act. Here are the 30 Democrats forcing the vote:
Notice something missing? Once we force a vote on my CRA, @SenateGOP won’t be able to hide any longer. They will have to choose: side with the overwhelming majority of Americans who want #NetNeutrality, or side with #BigTelecom. pic.twitter.com/R147amcLJ9
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) January 8, 2018
As you can see, our illustrious Democratic Duo Carper and Coons are missing from this list of Democrats. So it is a good thing that this vote will know happen because we will get them on the record as to whether they stand with the consumer or with the corporation. Senators, please know, if you vote to uphold the Trump’s FCC Ruling on Net Neutrality, don’t bother coming back to the Democratic cloak room. Join your Republican Friends in theirs.
As of now, it looks as though this CRA has 40 votes.
No Carper or Coons signed on though.
Coons; I’ve never met a camera or microphone I didn’t like!
Susan Collins is a YES.