Chairman Walden Amendment Aims To Block FCC Funds For Net Neutrality

House Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) said that he has filed an amendment that would bar the Federal Communications Commission from using any funds to implement the network neutrality order it passed in December.

During a speech at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners winter meeting, Chairman Walden said he filed the amendment to the continuing resolution that would provide continuing funds for government operations, which the House is set to start considering Feb 15. Chairman Walden said his effort to block FCC funding for the net neutrality rules is an attempt to "lay down a marker and try to put this on hold." He also argued that the rules disadvantage broadband providers over other Web companies. "Why is the FCC shielding Web companies and selectively applying these rules only against broadband providers," he said. The FCC "should not be picking winners and losers by advantaging Web companies over broadband providers."