House Judiciary Committee lawmakers issued statements Wednesday clarifying...

House Judiciary Committee lawmakers issued statements Wednesday clarifying what they want to focus on during Friday’s expected Antitrust Subcommittee hearing on net neutrality. The hearing “will examine whether antitrust law or regulation would be more effective at protecting consumers, innovation, and fair competition on the Internet,” said Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. “Antitrust law seeks to achieve these goals by promoting and preserving a competitive process and prosecuting anticompetitive and discriminatory conduct -- while regulation could in fact prevent, rather than promote, innovation on the Internet and negatively affect the economy and consumers.” Subcommittee Chairman Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., said the “question at hand is whether antitrust law or regulation is a more effective approach to prevent misconduct and protect consumers and innovation.” The hearing will take place at 9 a.m. in 2141 Rayburn.