False alarm over Net neutrality vote?
A last-minute U.S. Senate vote on contentious legislation spurned by Net neutrality advocates likely won't occur this week after all.
That's what an aide to Sen. Ted Stevens, the Alaska Republican who recently found himself the subject of widespread mockery over his remark that the Internet is "a series of tubes," told CNET News.com on Wednesday.
In recent days, the blogosphere has been abuzz with reports that the Senate Commerce Committee chairman may try to rush a vote before the politicians leave town for their summer recess, scheduled to begin Aug. 7 and last until Sept. 4.
Responding to those rumors, Stevens told reporters after a weekly policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday (according to an aide's transcript): "I've seen some of these blogs. They don't know what they're talking about."
At issue is a sweeping attempt at rewriting the nation's telecommunications laws. The mammoth bill includes Net neutrality language that fails to satisfy the likes of Google, eBay, and Amazon.com--and several hundred consumer advocacy groups.
It remains unclear whether Stevens can succeed at this point in amassing the 60 votes needed to force a "cloture" vote and derail any attempted filibuster. At least one Democrat--Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, who authored the first proposal in February endorsed by those interests--has vowed to block the existing bill from becoming law.
