House leadership questions industry for taking it lying down on net neutrality

House GOP Whip Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) convened a meeting of top communications companies on Wednesday morning, where he questioned why they are not doing more to help Republicans in the fight against net-neutrality rules. 

A spokeswoman for McCarthy confirmed the meeting. 

{mosads}Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Communications subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.), who are leading the House effort to repeal the rules, also attended the meeting. 

Participants included Peter Davidson of Verizon, Tim McKone of AT&T, Steve Largent of CTIA, Walter McCormick of U.S. Telecom, Kyle McSlarrow of the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA), Comcast, and Time Warner Cable, according to industry sources.

Verizon was the sole company to evade criticism during the meeting, sources said. They have led the charge against net-neutrality regulations, suing the Federal Communications Committee for passing its rules in December.

In contrast, AT&T and NCTA worked with the FCC to shape the rules, coming to a compromise they said they can live with, although both said no rules are necessary.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the GOP members discussed their effort to defeat the FCC’s rules through a resolution of disapproval, as well as their plans to hold a hearing on the issue. 

Industry sources expected the hearing to come next week and to feature industry witnesses.