[rohrpost] House Passes Controversial COPE Telecom Bill, Rejects Amendment to Protect Net Neutrality

[Mark Butler]

The House voted on legislation yesterday that could determine the future of the
internet and public access television in this country. In a vote of 321 to 101,
the House voted to pass the Communications Opportunity, Promotion and
Enhancement Act, known as the COPE bill. This controversial telecommunications
legislation would permit phone and cable companies to operate Internet and
other digital communications service as private networks, free of policy
safeguards or governmental oversight. The bill would effectively end what is
known as "net neutrality" which is the concept that that everyone, everywhere,
should have free, universal and non-discriminatory access to the Internet. The
bill would also cut back the obligation of cable TV companies to devote
channels to public access and fund the facilities to run them. And the COPE
bill would replace local cable franchises with national franchises.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/06/09/1427218