OVERNIGHT REGULATION: FCC approves strong Internet rules
February 26, 2015
February 26, 2015
Welcome to OVERNIGHT REGULATION, your daily rundown of rules from Capitol Hill and beyond. It's Thursday evening here in Washington, and we're ready for Friday after a week of headlines that ran the gamut from "Pot fight smolders in D.C." to "AG Nominee clears Senate panel." But here are the latest headlines and the biggest news from Congress and the federal agencies.
THE BIG STORY
Federal regulators approved landmark rules for the Internet on Thursday.
In a 3-2 vote, the Federal Communications Commission approved net neutrality regulations to prevent major companies like Verizon and Comcast from slowing, blocking or creating "toll roads" for people accessing the Internet.
Activists have been pushing hard for the rules, which drew 4 million comments to the FCC - the most by far the agency has ever received.
"I ran for office because I believed that nothing can stand in the way of millions of voices calling for change," President Obama said in a statement following Thursday's vote. "That's the backbone of our democracy – and you've proven that this timeless principal is alive and well in our digital age."
But net neutrality opponents say the FCC's decision will be a burden on broadband and plunge the industry into years of litigation.
"Net neutrality rules are a bad solution to a problem that doesn't exist. An 'open Internet' has benefitted consumers, fostered innovation and investment, and changed our lives for the better," Bill Kovacs, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce senior vice president for the Environment, Technology, & Regulatory Affairs, said in a statement.
"We should not shackle this dynamic and competitive market with rules from a bygone era."
Kovacs went on to say that Congress should determine a federal broadband policy not unelected bureaucrats. He urged lawmakers to provide the FCC with statutory guidance on the issue.
In a statement announcing her support for the rules, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said there shouldn't be two-tiers of Internet with fast lanes that speed the traffic of the privileged and leave the rest of the world lagging behind.
"We cannot have gatekeepers who tell us what we can and cannot do and where we can and cannot go online," she said. "And we do not need blocking, throttling and paid prioritization schemes that undermine the Internet as we know it."
ON TAP FOR FRIDAY
The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing to discuss the needs of drinking water systems in rural and smaller communities. http://1.usa.gov/
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold a hearing to discuss reforming the Freedom of Information Act to ensure government transparency. http://1.usa.gov/182yI3R
The Justice Department will meet with the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing to discuss best practices and recommendations. http://1.usa.
The State Department will hold its second round of talks to re-establish diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba. http://1.usa.gov/1E0BDbr
TOMORROW'S REGS TODAY
The Obama Administration will publish 175 new regulations, proposed rules, notices and other administrative actions in Friday's edition of the Federal Register.
Here's what to look out for:
The Department of Transportation is considering a rule that would require any railroad with an inadequate safety performance to develop and implement a risk-reduction program to improve the safety of their operations.
The rule would require railroads to review their risk-reduction programs annually. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) would also conduct an external audit of the program procedures.
The pubic has 60 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1wl0D56
The Federal Transit Administration is considering changes that would strengthen the State Safety Oversight Program for fixed guideway public transportation -- light, heavy and rapid rail systems.
Congress has pointed to critical weaknesses in the State Safety Oversight Program, including lack of adequate and consistent safety practices across rail transit systems; lack of regulatory, oversight and enforcement authority; and limited program funding, staff, training and other resources, the rule-making said.
The public has 60 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1ziAHYf
The Department of Agriculture is seeking public comment as it reviews its list of agents and toxins that have the potential to pose a severe threat to animal or plant health, or to animal or plant products.
The Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002 requires a biennial review and republication of the list.
The public has 60 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1AcjxeZ
NEWS RIGHT NOW
Attorney General: The Judiciary Committee voted 12-8 to move forward with the nomination of President Obama's nominee for attorney general Loretta Lynch. http://bit.ly/1AwWhNJ
Ozone price: Though a new study commissioned by the National Association of Manufacturers cuts the compliance cost of the Environmental Protection Agency's new ozone standards by half, the trade group said the proposed rule could still be the nation's most costly. http://bit.ly/1EuR8Y7
E-cigarettes: The Senate Commerce Committee unanimously approved legislation Thursday that will require manufacturers to create child-resistant packaging for all liquid nicotine containers.http://bit.ly/1AwWhNJ
Internet: The Federal Communication Commission voted to override two state laws in Tennessee and North Carolina limiting government-owned Internet networks. http://bit.ly/
Unions: The Wisconsin Senate passed an anti-union bill, The Wall Street Journal reported. http://on.wsj.com/1aoC2YO
Grouper: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sided with a Florida fisherman, who was convicted for tossing evidence -- undersize grouper -- back into the Gulf of Mexico under a federal law, The New York Times reported. http://nyti.ms/
More Cuba: Lawmakers make case against removing Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism, Reuters reported. http://reut.rs/
Whistleblowers: A Senate panel approved a measure that will offer financial incentives for auto industry employees to expose safety defects, Reuters reported. http://reut.rs/
BY THE NUMBERS
$1.1 trillion: The National Association of Manufacturers' new compliance cost estimate for an ozone standard for 65 parts per billion (ppb).
$140 billion: The annual blow to gross domestic product if a 65 ppb ozone standard is adopted, according to NAM's report.
$1.7 trillion: The blow to GDP from 2017 to 2040 if a 65 ppb ozone standard is adopted, according to the NAM report.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"65 parts per billion would still be the most expensive regulation of all time," Aric Newhouse, NAM's senior vice president of policy and government relations, said about the EPA's proposed ozone standard.
We'll work to stay on top of these and other stories throughout the week, so check The Hill's Regulation page (http://thehill.com/regulation
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