The chairman of the FCC has refused to testify before Congress as the agency prepares to vote on a divisive net neutrality provision that could have a sweeping impact on how the Internet is regulated,
National Review reports.
Tom Wheeler refused to appear before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday, angering its chairman, Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who joined Michigan's Fred Upton, head of the Energy and Commerce Committee, to decry what they view as the White House's lack of transparency as the FCC prepared to vote on the new rules Thursday, National Review said.
"So long as the chairman continues to insist on secrecy, we will continue calling for more transparency and accountability at the commission," the congressmen said in a joint statement.
"Chairman Wheeler and the FCC are not above Congress," they added.
Chaffetz has repeatedly asked Wheeler to present for pubic review new rule provisions ahead of the FCC's vote,
USA Today noted.
A 332-page draft was handed out to several FCC commissioners three weeks ago, and at least two, Ajit Pai and Michael O'Rielly, have urged Wheeler to make it public and postpone the vote until the public can have 30 days to review it, USA Today said.
Chaffetz had written Wheeler about his concerns over transparency.
"Although arguably one of the most sweeping new rules in the commission's history, the process was conducted without using many of the tools at the chairman's disposal to ensure transparency and public review," the congressman wrote.
GOP lawmakers have their own proposal that they say will cause far less heartache over the years for net users and service providers as telecommunications companies have already warned there will be legal challenges — a lengthy process,
the Los Angeles Times noted.
Said Texas Rep. Joe Barton to the Times: "What the FCC is most likely going to vote on tomorrow is net nonsense. It's not going to work. It is going to be tested in court, and it's going to fail in court."
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