With Boucher talks, four simultaneous efforts take on net neutrality

Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) acknowledged reports on Thursday that he is holding private talks between Internet and telecommunications companies about the possibility of passing narrow net neutrality legislation this year.

This development means there are now at least four separate, simultaneous processes occurring to find a solution on net neutrality, along with private stakeholder meetings at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a rulemaking procedure at the FCC, and weekly sessions on Capitol Hill among more than 30 stakeholders led by the commerce committees.

Boucher, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce communications subpanel, said his talks are similar to the FCC's meetings, where Google, the Open Internet Coalition and Skype are discussing broadband regulation with Verizon, AT&T, and the National Cable and Telecommunications Association in talks brokered by top agency officials.

Boucher said his meetings "involve essentially the same individuals who have been conducting discussions on this matter at the FCC."

The distinction, however, is that "the meetings in my office are focused on the prospect of passing legislation, while the discussions at the FCC are designed to inform the ongoing rulemaking being considered at that agency."

The talks on Capitol Hill have been ongoing for several months and have been bipartisan. The focus is finding "a narrow set of principles assuring Internet openness," according to Boucher's statement.