The FCC is proposed by Chairman Julius Genachowski. The commission's two Republicans have said they plan to vote against the proposal, meaning Genachowski would need support from both his fellow Democrats, Copps and Mignon Clyburn, to approve the rules.

Copps has raised questions about Genachowski's proposal, which several net neutrality advocates have criticized as too weak. Earlier this month, Copps suggested that the best way to pass net neutrality rules would be for the FCC to reclassify broadband as a regulated, common-carrier service.

But Copps on Monday said he planned to vote for Genachowski's proposal, even though it would not reclassify broadband as the chairman had earlier advocated. Copps suggested there have been changes to the proposal since Genachowski first announced it earlier this month.

"The item we will vote on tomorrow is not the one I would have crafted," he said in a statement. "But I believe we have been able to make the current iteration better than what was originally circulated. If vigilantly and vigorously implemented by the commission -- and if upheld by the courts -- it could represent an important milestone in the ongoing struggle to safeguard the awesome opportunity-creating power of the open Internet."

Copps said he cannot vote "wholeheartedly" for the proposal, but he would not block it, either.