Chairman Walden: Merger reviews are bait for broadband firms to support FCC

As the network neutrality debate moved to the House floor, House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) made it clear he thinks it's bunk for Democrats to cite support for the regulations from Internet service providers.

Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) had highlighted phone and cable companies' approval of the FCC's controversial rules, noting that AT&T's top Washington executive Jim Cicconi testified in the House that the rules might remove uncertainty and allow future investment. The FCC has also cited support from broadband providers to bolster the rules it passed in December. But Chairman Walden strongly dismissed that support. "They're their regulator," Chairman Walden said of the phone and cable companies. "They have mergers, if you've heard of those," he said, adding that broadband providers supported the rules to fend off a stricter regulatory regime.