WASHINGTON, June 5 (Reuters) -

Telecom industry groups are seeking to block the Biden

administration's reinstatement of landmark net neutrality rules

set to take effect on July 22.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted in April

along party lines to reassume regulatory oversight of broadband

internet and reinstate open internet rules adopted in 2015 that

were rescinded under former President Donald Trump.

The rules will bar internet service providers from

blocking, slowing down traffic to certain websites, or engaging

in paid prioritization of lawful content, as well as give the

FCC new tools to crack down on Chinese telecom companies and the

ability to monitor internet service outages.

Industry groups representing AT&T ( T ), Comcast ( CMCSA ),

Verizon and others in recent days have filed legal

challenges to the order in seven U.S. circuit courts.

The groups include USTelecom, NCTA, CTIA and ACA Connects,

who asked the FCC to halt the order from taking effect so they

can seek judicial review or if needed a court-issued order

temporarily blocking the new rules.

Reinstating net neutrality has been a priority for President

Joe Biden, who signed a July 2021 executive order encouraging

the FCC to reinstate the rules adopted in 2015 under Democratic

President Barack Obama.

The industry groups said the FCC "has once again claimed

all-encompassing authority to regulate how Americans access the

internet -- this time, adopting even more invasive rules than it

did in 2015."

FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said the commission will not

pursue rate regulation and "not undermine incentives to invest

in networks."

Democrats were stymied for nearly three years because they

did not take majority control of the five-member FCC until

October.

Under Trump, the FCC had argued net neutrality rules were

unnecessary, blocked innovation and resulted in a decline in

network investment by internet service providers, a contention

disputed by Democrats.

Despite the 2017 decision to withdraw the requirement at the

federal level, a dozen states now have net neutrality laws or

regulations in place. Industry groups abandoned legal challenges

to those state requirements in May 2022.