We all know that Congress has some big ticket items on its agenda for next year - repealing ObamaCare, balancing the budget, reining the president’s executive authority, but receiving less attention than perhaps they should are a number of smaller regulatory battles in which the new Republican majority could make a real difference.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), spurred on by impassioned words from President Obama, is itching to enact stricter internet regulations next year. But there is a growing resistance among Republican lawmakers that could stop the agency in its tracks.

A turf war among regulators may be shaping up in the battle over Net Neutrality. A group of 32 academics, who oppose Net Neutrality on free market grounds, are asking that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) weigh in on the debate. The letter argues that the FTC already has the authority to deal with anticompetitive behavior, and that the agency should say as much.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is requesting an increase of $1.5 billion for its E-Rate program, citing the need for improved internet connectivity in public schools. This would represent a 62 percent increase in current spending.

Mike O’Rielly, a commissioner at the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), is arguing that President Obama’s new proposal on Net Neutrality will result in an immediate tax on internet service providers (ISPs), which will then be passed on to consumers and result in across the board higher prices. The statement issued by the president contains no language pertaining to anything like a tax, though, so what’s he talking about?

Earlier this week, President Obama issued a statement encouraging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to adopt stricter rules on Net Neutrality, a regulation that requires internet service providers (ISPs) to treat all web content equally. But the president, like most supporters of Net Neutrality, fails to understand how the internet actually works. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is resistant to Obama's ideas, preferring a more nuanced approach, but he still favors increased regulation of the internet. Below is an extract from the president’s statement, outlining the four principles he has singled out as being fundamental features of the new regulations.

After a decision by a Federal Appeals Court in January struck down the FCC's ability to enforce Net Neutrality, the agency has been looking for new ways to regulate the internet. One proposal is to classify internet service providers as "common carriers" under Title II of the Federal Communications Act of 1934. This would mean treating the internet like a utility, similar to telephone companies, water, and electricity. In this FreedomWorks Issue Analysis, we examine the implications of the FCC's proposal and the impact on internet freedom.