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By Alina Selyukh
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. lawmakers plan to start drafting legislation this week aimed at keeping the Internet open without tighter "net neutrality" rules backed by the Obama administration, Republican leaders of the House and Senate Commerce committees said in an op-ed column on Reuters.com.
Senate Commerce Chairman John Thune and House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton said they have a working proposal and, with lawmakers from both parties, plan to begin publicly discussing and formally drafting legislation this week.
"By acting legislatively, we can set aside the baggage and limits of an antiquated legal framework and work with the Federal Communications Commission to ensure the Internet remains the beacon of freedom and connectivity that defines America in the 21st century," they wrote.
The Senate Commerce Committee was expected to hold a hearing on the matter on Jan. 21.
At stake is what rules should govern how Internet service providers (ISPs) manage web traffic on their networks to ensure they treat all Internet content fairly.
The debate has raged for nearly a year. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler recently indicated he was leaning toward regulating ISPs more strictly under a section of communications law known as Title II, which would treat them more like public utilities.
President Barack Obama had endorsed that approach, which the ISPs and some Republicans reject even as they say they agree with some of the goals.
In their column, Thune and Upton said their proposed rules would prohibit Internet service providers from blocking or throttling data, and from charging a premium to prioritize content delivery, but without the use of the "ill-fitting" tool of Title II.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters on Air Force One he was not aware of the lawmakers' plan, but added: "If there are Republicans who share the president's goal of preserving a free and open Internet, then we would of course work with them in pursuit of that goal."
The FCC is slated to vote on new rules on Feb. 26, and broadband companies are expected to fight them in court.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue on Wednesday spoke against "efforts to regulate the Internet as if it were a 20th century public utility."
"We need to develop better and smarter frameworks for data security and sharing," he said, "but the system must remain open, flexible, and innovative, and excessive government regulation of the Internet would just kill that goose."