The biggest websites and the biggest Internet service providers are being summoned to Congress to testify about net neutrality.

US Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said he is scheduling a full committee hearing titled, "Ground rules for the Internet ecosystem," for September 7.

"Today I'm sending formal invitations to the top executives of the leading technology companies including Facebook, Alphabet, Amazon, and Netflix, as well as broadband providers including Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, and Charter Communications, inviting each of them to come and testify before our full Energy and Commerce Committee," Walden said during a Federal Communications Commission oversight hearing this morning.

End the ping-pong game

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who appeared at today's oversight hearing, is leading a proceeding to reverse the commission's classification of Internet providers as common carriers and related net neutrality rules. Walden wants Congress to step in and said both ISPs and websites should weigh in first.

Facebook, the Alphabet-owned Google, Amazon, and Netflix supported this month's Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality event. Major ISPs have consistently opposed the net neutrality rules issued by the FCC in 2015, but the rules were upheld in court despite a challenge by the broadband industry.

"It's time for Congress to legislate the rules of the Internet, and stop the ping-pong game of regulations and litigation," Walden said. "Given the importance of this public policy debate and the work we need to do as a committee, it is essential that we hear directly from the country's top Internet and edge provider leaders who frequently speak out publicly about rules of the Internet. It's time they came before us and directly shared their positions and answered our questions. With more than a month's advance notice, I'm sure they can arrange their schedules to accommodate our invitations."

Walden said he wants the committee to "fully understand all sides of the Internet governance issue," including "Internet operations and consumer privacy." Congress recently eliminated privacy rules that would have required ISPs to get their customers' permission before using, selling, or sharing Web browsing history and app usage history but could try to institute new rules that apply both to ISPs and website operators.

Republicans in Congress have pitched various net neutrality proposals. Some would wipe out net neutrality rules entirely. Other Republican proposals would institute rules against blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization while preventing the FCC from using its common carrier authority to protect customers from other abuses by ISPs.

Disclosure: The Advance/Newhouse Partnership, which owns about 13 percent of Charter, is part of Advance Publications. Advance Publications owns Condé Nast, which owns Ars Technica.