Senate Democrats and three Republicans have voted to halt the repeal of Obama-era net neutrality rules.
On Wednesday, in a 52-47 vote, 49 Democrats and Republicans Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska backed the measure to halt the repeal, according to CNN.
The net neutrality rules were enacted in 2015 to keep internet providers from slowing down or blocking content, as well as to prevent those providers from charging higher prices for faster service. The Republican-controlled FCC in 2017 voted to get rid of those rules and replace them. The repeal takes effect June 11.
Wednesday’s vote to still has some obstacles to face. Namely, the measure has to go through a Republican majority House and President Donald Trump.
If that does manage to happen, the net neutrality rules the FCC enacted in 2015 would not be repealed next month. The current FCC moved to repeal them in a 3-2 vote last year, a move that sparked outrage and protests among many net neutrality supporters. Some states began to pass their own protections akin to the federal ones that previously existed.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has called for less regulation, arguing that the rules put in place in 2015 were stifling companies.
