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The U.S. House is scheduled to vote Jan. 28 on an $825 billion stimulus package attaching network neutrality and open access strings for $6 billion in grants and loans to build out broadband networks in unserved and underserved areas of the country. If-as widely expected-the American Recovery and Reinvestment passes the House, it will represent the first successful congressional action on network neutrality.

The House legislation requires the winners of the funding to allow any legal device to be connected to the new networks, and network operators are prohibited from discriminating in the handling of network traffic. The mandates do not apply to existing networks.

Read full story: eWeek

Updates:  UPDATED Jan 29, 2009 3:49 PM PDT
House hurries toward passage of econ stimulus bill IHT, Jan.28.2009
Stimulus plan set to pass, despite Republican critics IHT, Jan.28.2009
U.S. House approved an $819 billion emergency stimulus bill eWeek, Jan.28.2009
Tech Industry CEOs Support Obama on Rescue Plan WSJ, Jan.28.2009
Congress Promotes Open Networks in Broadband Stimulus Free Press, Jan.28.2009
Congress Wants Neutrality On Publicly Funded Broadband InformationWeek, Jan.29.2009

Related topics: Access Providers, Broadband, P2P, Policy & Regulation, Telecom, Wireless