GOP budget bill would kill net neutrality and FCC’s set-top box plan

Republicans use nation's budget to launch broad attack on FCC regulations.

by Jon Brodkin - May 25, 2016 1:34pm EDT

House Republicans yesterday released a plan to slash the Federal Communications Commission's budget by $69 million and prevent the FCC from enforcing net neutrality rules, "rate regulation," and its plan to boost competition in the set-top box market.

The proposal is the latest of many attempts to gut the FCC's authority, though it's unusual in that it takes aim at two of FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's signature projects while also cutting the agency's budget. The plan is part of the government's annual appropriations bill.

"The bill contains $315 million for the FCC—a cut of $69 million below the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $43 million below the (agency's) request," said an announcement by the House Appropriations Committee chaired by Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.), who received $25,500 from the telecom industry in the current campaign cycle. "The legislation prohibits the FCC from implementing the net neutrality order until certain court cases are resolved, requires newly proposed regulations to be made publicly available for 21 days before the Commission votes on them, prohibits the FCC from regulating broadband rates, and requires the FCC to refrain from further activity of the recently proposed set-top box rule until a study is completed."

The set-top box study requirements could delay the process by one year, taking it past President Obama's term and potentially past Wheeler's tenure as FCC chairman.

The changes, which begin on page 137 of a 259-page budget plan for fiscal year 2017, ...

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