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Technology vendors and law enforcement agencies need to look for a compromise that allows police to gain access to encrypted devices during criminal investigations, lawmakers say.

Many tech vendors and privacy advocates have suggested there is no available compromise between strong security for device users and police access to encrypted communications. But members of a congressional committee on Tuesday pushed both sides in the ongoing encryption debate to look again for a possible middle ground.

As Apple and the FBI continue to argue in court about whether the company should assist the agency with unlocking iPhones, "it's time to begin a new chapter in this battle, one which I hope can ultimately bring some resolution to the war," said Representative Tim Murphy, a Pennsylvania Republican.

Many lawmakers see both sides of the issue, with encryption protecting consumers' personal information but also allowing criminals to hide their activities, Representative Diana DeGette, a Colorado Democrat, said during a hearing of the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee's oversight subcommittee.

Tech companies and privacy advocates haven't offered constructive solutions to the problem, DeGette said. "I think many of these arguments are valid, but I've only heard what we should not do, not what we should do collectively to address this problem," she said.

While Apple general counsel Bruce Sewell testified during Tuesday's hearing, Facebook and WhatsApp declined to send employees to appear, DeGette noted. 

"It's hard to solve a problem when the key players won't show up for this discussion," she said. "Relying on Congress to, on its own, pass legislation in a very complex situation such as this is a very blunt instrument at best."

DeGette and Representative Yvette Clarke, a New York Democrat, suggested the FBI could pump up its technical expertise so that it doesn't have to rely on tech vendors or outside security experts to crack encryption and other security measures.