House Commerce Committee Vice Chairwoman Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.,...

previously had introduced on IP-enabled services (http://1.usa.gov/1dbrV4f). “Net Neutrality is the Fairness Doctrine of the Internet,” Blackburn said in a statement. “Once the FCC has a foothold into managing how internet service providers run their networks they will essentially be deciding which content goes first, second, third, or not at all. It’s time for Congress to slam the FCC’s regulatory back-door shut, lock it, and return the keys to the free market. My legislation will put the brakes on net neutrality and protect our innovators from these job-killing regulations.” The two-page bill would render powerless the FCC’s 2010 Open Internet Order and prevent the agency from issuing “such regulations in substantially the same form, or [issuing] new regulations that are substantially the same as such regulations, unless the reissued or new regulations are specifically authorized by a law enacted after the date of the enactment of this Act,” with exceptions for national security, public safety and law enforcement. Lobbyists and observers told us Thursday that such net neutrality legislation is generally unlikely to advance out of Congress. But a Democratic aide said the tensions surrounding such a polarizing issue may put a hitch in any Communications Act overhaul discussions. The offices of Communications Subcommittee Vice Chairman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, and Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., told us Thursday they had an interest in co-sponsorship. Blackburn’s spokesman said the bill has five co-sponsors but declined to name them.