[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7045 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7045
To repeal section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 13, 2026
Mr. Patronis introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To repeal section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934, 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 ``Promoting Responsible Online
Technology and Ensuring Consumer Trust Act'' or the ``PROTECT Act''.
SEC. 2. REPEAL OF SECTION 230.
(a) In General.--Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47
U.S.C. 230) is repealed.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Communications act of 1934.--The Communications Act of
1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) is amended--
(A) in section 223--
(i) in subsection (h)(1)--
(I) by striking subparagraph (D);
and
(II) by redesignating subparagraphs
(E) and (F) as subparagraphs (D) and
(E), respectively; and
(ii) in subsection (i), by striking
paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
``(2) The term `interactive computer service' means any
information service, system, or access software provider that
provides or enables computer access by multiple users to a
computer server, including specifically a service or system
that provides access to the internet and such systems operated
or services offered by libraries or educational
institutions.''; and
(B) in section 231(b)(4), by striking ``or section
230''.
(2) Trademark act of 1946.--Section 45 of the Act entitled
``An Act to provide for the registration and protection of
trademarks used in commerce, to carry out the provisions of
certain international conventions, and for other purposes'',
approved July 5, 1946 (commonly known as the ``Trademark Act of
1946'') (15 U.S.C. 1127), is amended, in the undesignated
provision relating to the term ``Internet'', by striking ``has
the meaning given that term in section 230(f)(1) of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f)(1))'' and
inserting ``means the international computer network of both
Federal and non-Federal interoperable packet switched data
networks''.
(3) Title 17, united states code.--Section 1401 of title
17, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (g).
(4) Title 18, united states code.--Part I of title 18,
United States Code, is amended--
(A) in section 1462, by striking ``(as defined in
section 230(e)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934)''
each place it appears and inserting ``(as defined in
section 223(i) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47
U.S.C. 223(i)))'';
(B) in section 1465, by striking ``(as defined in
section 230(e)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934)''
and inserting ``(as defined in section 223(i) of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 223(i)))'';
(C) in section 2257(h)(2)(B)(v), by striking ``,
except that deletion of a particular communication or
material made by another person in a manner consistent
with section 230(c) of the Communications Act of 1934
(47 U.S.C. 230(c)) shall not constitute such selection
or alteration of the content of the communication'';
and
(D) in section 2421A--
(i) in subsection (a), by striking ``(as
such term is defined in defined in section
230(f) the Communications Act of 1934 (47
U.S.C. 230(f)))'' and inserting ``(as such term
is defined in section 223(i) of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C.
223(i)))''; and
(ii) in subsection (b), by striking ``(as
such term is defined in defined in section
230(f) the Communications Act of 1934 (47
U.S.C. 230(f)))'' and inserting ``(as such term
is defined in section 223(i) of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C.
223(i)))''.
(5) Controlled substances act.--Section
401(h)(3)(A)(iii)(II) of the Controlled Substances Act (21
U.S.C. 841(h)(3)(A)(iii)(II)) is amended by striking ``, except
that deletion of a particular communication or material made by
another person in a manner consistent with section 230(c) of
the Communications Act of 1934 shall not constitute such
selection or alteration of the content of the communication''.
(6) Webb-kenyon act.--Section 3(b)(1) of the Act entitled
``An Act divesting intoxicating liquors of their interstate
character in certain cases'', approved March 1, 1913 (commonly
known as the ``Webb-Kenyon Act'') (27 U.S.C. 122b(b)(1)), is
amended by striking ``(as defined in section 230(f) of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f))'' and inserting
``(as defined in section 223(i) of the Communications Act of
1934 (47 U.S.C. 223(i)))''.
(7) Title 28, united states code.--Section 4102 of title
28, United States Code, is amended--
(A) by striking subsection (c); and
(B) in subsection (e)--
(i) by striking ``construed to'' and all
that follows through ``affect'' and inserting
``construed to affect''; and
(ii) by striking ``defamation; or'' and all
that follows and inserting ``defamation.''.
(8) Daniel anderl judicial security and privacy act of
2022.--Section 5933(7) of the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security
and Privacy Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-263) is amended by
striking ``section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47
U.S.C. 230)'' and inserting ``section 223(i) of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 223(i))''.
(9) Title 31, united states code.--Section 5362(6) of title
31, United States Code, is amended by striking ``section 230(f)
of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230(f))'' and
inserting ``section 223(i) of the Communications Act of 1934
(47 U.S.C. 223(i))''.
(10) National telecommunications and information
administration organization act.--Section 157 of the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization
Act (47 U.S.C. 941) is amended--
(A) by striking subsection (e); and
(B) by redesignating subsections (f) through (j) as
subsections (e) through (i), respectively.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
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