The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted on Thursday to start the process of reestablishing so-called “open internet” rules.

The vote reignites a debate which last reached a boiling point in 2017, when the agency voted against the net neutrality regulations created only a few years before. This back and forth took place while Congress refused to codify net neutrality principles — that internet service provider (ISP) traffic should be treated equally, without blocking or slowing down — into law.

The Democrats Rosenworcel and Gomez voted in favor of the motion, while Carr and Simington, two Republicans, dissented.

Jessica Rosenworcel, FCC chair, announced her intention of reestablishing the rules after Democrat Anna Gomez became the fifth and last commissioner at the agency. This was the first time a Democratic majority had been established during the Biden Administration. The previous nominee of the president, Gigi Son, was repeatedly opposed by several legislators to be confirmed before she withdrew from consideration. The agency was in a state of deadlock.

After the Commission has voted in favor of the proposed rule, the public can comment on it. The agency will then read the feedback and take it into consideration when drafting a final rule.

Net neutrality opponents claim that the Trump-era repeal shows that the hyperbolic claims of such a move resulting in the end the internet as we knew it were not proven.

Republican Commissioner Brendan Carr cited statements by Democratic lawmakers supporting net neutrality, and called the previous campaign for rules a “viral misinformation campaign.”

Carr added later that “Title II will not work for a problem which does not exist.”

Nathan Simington, Republican commissioner, said: “We now face advocates who cannot accept that they have won and that de facto we have net neutrality.”

Republicans and ISPs are primarily opposed to the FCC rules that would reclassify providers under Title II of 1934’s Communications Act, which would regulate the ISPs as a utility. The opposition fears that the FCC could impose price controls on ISPs.

Carr stated that “the goalposts may have changed, but the end goal is the same: increasing the government’s control over the Internet.”

Simington stated that “from my perspective, ISPs have never been more competitive and imposing utility regulations on them at this time is the wrong thing to do.”

The proponents of net neutrality argue that California’s implementation of net-neutrality regulations and the threat of the return of the rules have probably prevented ISPs from discriminating against internet traffic.

Rosenworcel stated, “In fact we have open Internet policies that providers adhere to right now.” “They are just from Sacramento and other places.” When you’re dealing with one of the most important infrastructures in the digital age… come on. “It’s time to have a national strategy.”