In their recent letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s Chairman Julius Genachowski, nineteen House Republicans – led by Representative Joe Barton of Texas, the foremost Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee – have said that the “net neutrality” debate should not be reignited.

Asking Genachowski to set aside plans to vote soon on regulations governing the manner in which companies led by AT&T and Comcast provide Internet service, the Republicans said that a reignited net neutrality debate will not only distract Congress and the FCC, but will also “jeopardize investment, innovation and jobs.”

Calling the FCC decision to set the rules next month “a mistake,” the Republican lawmakers - members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee - said in their letter: “The questions raised in the network neutrality rulemaking are better left to Congress.”

The contentious net neutrality rules - which will prevent telecom firms from interfering with subscribers’ Internet service - are backed by President Barack Obama and tech companies led by Google, EBay, and IAC/InterActiveCorp; while cable and telephone providers oppose the regulations saying that they are not needed and that they might adversely affect investment.

The FCC Chairman has been advocating for rules particularly on the grounds that they would bar Internet-service providers from discriminatory blocking or slowing of content delivered to subscribers; thereby favoring their own offerings and those of business partners.