Wisconsin Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, the powerful Chair of the House Judiciary, came out in support of net neutrality today after his request to have the COPE Act brought to his committee failed. From CQ (still searching for a link):
If the parliamentarian in fact refuses to send the measure to Judiciary for a second review, it would be a defeat for Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., R-Wis., who has insisted that his panel's oversight of business competition and antitrust issues entitles it to a crack at the telecom measure.Joe L. Barton, R-Texas, the Energy and Commerce chairman who sponsored the bill, wants to send it directly to the House floor. Barton's committee approved the bill by a vote of 42-12 on April 26. The measure would make it easier for telephone companies to enter the video market.
If Judiciary cannot mark up that bill, Sensenbrenner and three of his committee's key Democrats are expected to introduce their own legislation to address one of the most contentious parts of Barton's bill -- the so-called net neutrality provision, which is intended to prevent phone and cable companies from abusing their power over the nation's broadband networks.
This fight - between Barton and Sensenbrenner - is pitting big business Republicans against libertarian Republicans. There are also wide splits among Democrats, though the whipping from the blogs is putting pressure on both parties and having an effect.
The Judiciary Committee always gets a crack at telecom bills because of the antitrust issues inherent in the telecom network. That Hastert denied Sensenbrenner his crack this time must be galling.
The vote on the COPE Act is once again delayed, and that means that we're winning.
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