Senate has the votes to force an overturn of the repeal of Net Neutrality

Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) has mustered the 30 votes necessary to force a vote on the FCC’s decision to repeal net neutrality. Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) announced that she’s signed onto Markey’s request to overturn the new rules, under the Congressional Review Act — which lets Congress nullify recently passed regulations with a simple majority.

Markey announced his intention to file a resolution of disapproval in December, just after the FCC voted on new rules that killed net neutrality protections from 2015. These new rules were officially published last week, and with 30 sponsors, Markey can make the Senate vote on whether to consider overturning them. If this happens, it would lead to a debate and final vote.

That’s not remotely the end of the process: if it’s approved, the resolution will go to the House, and if it passes there, the desk of Donald Trump, who seems unlikely to approve it. And if it fails, it’s not the only option on the table — we’ve already heard about legal challenges and local legislation as well. But it keeps the fight for net neutrality running, and offers an immediate alternative to an “open internet” bill that doesn’t restore the old protections.