[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3606 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3606

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to restore freedom of speech to 
 the Internet and to protect children from unsuitable online material.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 10, 1996

 Ms. Lofgren introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to restore freedom of speech to 
 the Internet and to protect children from unsuitable online material.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Internet Freedom and Child 
Protection Act of 1996''.

SEC. 2. INTERNET ACCESS PROVIDERS REQUIRED TO MAKE SCREENING SOFTWARE 
              AVAILABLE.

    Section 223 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 223) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1)--
                    (A) by striking subparagraph (B); and
                    (B) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) through (E) 
                as subparagraphs (B) through (D), respectively;
            (2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
    ``(d) Obligations of Internet Access Providers.--
            ``(1) Access provider obligation.--An Internet access 
        provider shall, at the time of entering an agreement with a 
        customer for the provision of Internet access services, offer 
        such customer, either for a fee or at no charge, screening 
        software that is designed to permit the customer to limit 
        access to material that is unsuitable for children.
            ``(2) Authority to prescribe minimum standards.--The 
        Commission shall prescribe minimum technical standards for 
        screening software for purposes of paragraph (1).
            ``(3) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection:
                    ``(A) Internet.--The term `Internet' means the 
                international computer network of both Federal and non-
                Federal interoperable packet switched data networks.
                    ``(B) Internet access provider.--The term `Internet 
                access provider' means a person engaged in the business 
                of providing a computer and communications facility 
                through which a customer may obtain access to the 
                Internet, but does not include a common carrier to the 
                extent that it provides only transmission and routing 
                services.
                    ``(C) Internet access services.--The term `Internet 
                access services' means the provision of computer and 
                communications services through which a customer using 
                a computer and a modem or other communications device 
                may obtain access to the Internet, but does not include 
                transmission and routing services provided by a common 
                carrier.''; and
            (3) by striking subsections (e) through (h).

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATES.

    The amendments made by section 2 of this Act are effective on the 
date of enactment of this Act, except that the requirements of section 
223(d) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 223(d)) as amended 
by section 2 shall be effective 6 months after such date of enactment.
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