FCC Chairman Pai Ajit Pai Nears His Biggest Win With Net Neutrality Repeal

The Federal Communications Commission is expected to vote on Dec 14 to dismantle the so-called net neutrality rules, which prohibit internet service providers from blocking or charging websites for higher quality delivery to consumers. It would also dial back the government’s stance that broadband should be regulated like a utility. The three Republican commissioners, including Chairman Pai, have said they will vote for the proposal, which would secure a majority over the two Democratic commissioners. Passing the plan would be the biggest victory in Pai’s eventful 11-month tenure as the head of the FCC, helping secure his reputation as one of the most effective chairmen in decades. Under his leadership, the agency has already opened the door for more media mergers, curtailed a high-speed internet program for low-income families and allowed broadband providers to raise rates to business customers. All of this activity has made Chairman Pai, 44, a former lawyer for Verizon and a longtime government bureaucrat, the target of many angry protests. But Pai’s changes have also won him political accolades and distinction as a high achiever in the Trump administration’s rush to shed regulations. The effects of his decisions have rippled across the industries Chairman Pai oversees. “In every way,” said Mark Cooper, a staff member of Consumer Federation of America, “his decisions are bad for consumers and good for big corporations.”