Democratic Lawmakers promise to stand up to FCC chair on net neutrality

Democratic lawmakers are promising to fight new Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai if he tries to roll back network neutrality rules. Democrats seem to be most concerned that Republican Commissioner Ajit Pai will set his sights on undoing the landmark Open Internet Order that implemented rules promoting net neutrality.

Sen Brian Schatz (D-HI) promised that Chairman Pai would run into a “wall of opposition” from those committed to protecting net neutrality. But he said he's cautiously optimistic that Chairman Pai may seek to find a middle ground. “The Commerce Committee and the FCC have been islands of nonpartisanship over the years and only recently have there been so many party-line votes,” Sen Schatz said. “So perhaps Chairman Pai can get back to a place where the FCC does the work of trying to arrive at compromises. Sen Ron Wyden (D-OR) said, “As with many appointments by Mr. Trump, I am concerned that as Chairman, Commissioner Pai will work for policies that benefit special interests and Big Cable, which have sought for years to control access to content on the internet above the interests of the American people. I will hold the FCC accountable to protect consumers and fight any attempt to roll back net neutrality."