[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4504 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4504
To authorize the Federal Communications Commission to issue regulations
against the censorship of Internet search results, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 26, 2010
Mr. Foster introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the Federal Communications Commission to issue regulations
against the censorship of Internet search results, and for other
purposes.
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 ``Standards for Internet Non-
Censorship Act of 2010'' or the ``SINC Act of 2010''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) The Internet has been a tremendous force for freedom
and economic development worldwide.
(2) In recent years, Internet freedom has been compromised
by repressive regimes that use this technology to control the
free flow of information and to limit nonviolent political
debate.
(3) One of the most egregious violations of Internet
freedom has been the enforcement of arbitrary and politically
motivated censorship of search engines by repressive regimes
that often force search providers to censor search results
domestically and globally as a condition of doing business.
(4) Access to United States Web sites by search engines
around the world provides billions of dollars of market value
to the owners of these search engines.
(5) Search engines under the control of repressive regimes
receive the economic benefit of accessing United States Web
sites and use this access to provide an incomplete and
distorted view of the United States and the world.
(6) Repressive control and censorship of the Internet will
continue to be a significant international issue that requires
decisive action from the United States and other free
countries.
(7) The long-term future of the Internet as an unfettered
source of nonviolent free speech will depend on the worldwide
adoption of minimum standards of non-censorship.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the President should promptly establish interim minimum
standards of non-censorship for Internet search providers and
create programs to restrict access to domestic online
information by search providers determined to be censoring
nonviolent political speech;
(2) any long-term solution to the problem of the censorship
of nonviolent political speech on the Internet must include
minimum standards of non-censorship set by a coalition of free
countries; and
(3) the President should begin negotiations with free
countries to adopt minimum standards for non-censorship of
nonviolent political speech as a condition for access to the
Internet.
SEC. 4. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION REGULATION AGAINST
CENSORSHIP.
(a) Regulations Against Censorship Authorized.--The Commission may
commence a proceeding to adopt regulations to restrict repressive
Internet search providers from accessing domestic online information.
(b) Web Site.--If the Commission adopts regulations under
subsection (a), the Commission shall develop, operate, and maintain a
public Web site that lists such repressive Internet search providers
and the reasons for finding that such Internet search providers were
repressive.
(c) Enforcement Authorized.--The Commission may enforce the
regulations under subsection (a) using any existing enforcement
authority to prevent Internet search providers and any other person or
entity from colluding to evade such regulations.
SEC. 5. DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS OF NON-
CENSORSHIP FOR THE INTERNET.
(a) International Agreements.--The Secretary of State, in
consultation with the Commission, shall seek to enter into agreements
with appropriate representatives of free countries to adopt minimum
standards to prevent censorship of nonviolent political speech on the
Internet as a condition for connection to the Internet.
(b) Restriction of the Internet.--Not earlier than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Commission may commence a proceeding
to adopt regulations to restrict or prevent foreign countries and other
entities that operate outside of any agreements made pursuant to
subsection (a) from accessing domestic online information.
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Communications Commission.
(2) Free country.--The term ``free country'' means a
foreign country that does not censor nonviolent political
speech on the Internet.
(3) Internet.--The term ``Internet'' has the meaning given
the term in section 231(e) of the Communications Act of 1934
(47 U.S.C. 231(e)).
(4) Domestic online information.--The term ``domestic
online information'' means Web sites, databases, and other
digital information that is housed or hosted on computers
located in the United States or any territory or possession of
the United States.
(5) Repressive internet search provider.--The term
``repressive Internet search provider'' means an Internet
search provider that censors search results for the purpose of
suppressing nonviolent political speech.
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